Another Mother
by seaspn
Summary: It turns out not all gods are evil and/or crazy. Sam has found one, well, actually she found him, who wants to help save Dean from Purgatory; and the planet while they're at it. AU for post-Season 7; spoilers for all seasons. Romance in later chapters. Sam W. and OFC. Now with short Sequel or long Epilogue.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Even with his eyes closed he could tell it was dark outside. The gentle sway underneath him and the smooth rumble of her powerful engine told him he was riding in the Impala. Sam's head hurt, he couldn't quite remember why but he was sure he was waking up from being knocked out. He just couldn't quite open his eyes yet. But if he was_ riding_ in the Impala that meant Dean was driving. If Dean was here, not still in Purgatory, everything was going to be okay and he was content to hover in semi-consciousness.

A sudden lurch to the left sent his body thumping against the door, and now his eyes were open. "What the hell, Dean?" He was so glad to have Dean back he was bitching at him out of instinct.

"Sorry. I'm not used to driving this fast." A female voice said from behind the steering wheel.

Sam turned to where his brother should be and saw a woman struggling to keep control of the car. Now he was fully awake. And he noticed they were going very fast down a two lane blacktop.

"We needed to get away from there." She answered his question before he could ask what was happening. She slowed down a little and the car settled back down to gliding down the road. It all came back to Sam…..

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Author's Note: I'm reposting the first two chapters now that I almost know what I'm doing.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Notes: So, as warned, I'm new at this story posting thing. I forgot to add spoiler warnings. It's set at the end of Season 7 but there are references to the whole series. Supernatural and the wonderful characters belong to Eric Kripke and the CW.

My goal is to be finished before the season starts in October, or it becomes AU.

I'm writing for my own enjoyment but constructive reviews, advice and ideas would be welcome.

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Chapter 1

It hadn't taken Sam long to figure out what happened to Dean and Cas. The shock wave as the leader of the Leviathans exploded, coating the lab in black goo, made it obvious the plan had succeeded. But killing Dick Roman and sending him back to Purgatory had opened a portal that had sucked Dean down with him. Sam had quickly run all the possible scenarios through his head, while he was setting the charges to blow up the lab, not that there were many. His brother was either dead or in Purgatory. He knew Dean wasn't dead, he just knew he'd feel it if he was. That meant Dean was in Purgatory.

Sam had retrieved the Impala from where Meg had crashed it into the sign in front of the building, cringing at the damage to her exterior but thankful it still ran. He could see the explosion lighting up the sky in the Impala's rear-view mirror as he left the SurcoCorp lab behind him. He spent a couple of days in the Omaha area, staying low and watching police reports, the news and checking the hospitals and morgue just in case he was wrong about Dean being dead. By Monday he decided to head back to the cabin in Whitefish and figure out his next move. He stopped in Sioux Falls and spent a day with Sheriff Mills. She had been a great help to him getting Dean back when he'd been taken back to 1944. He told her about Bobby's ghost staying to help them and his decision to then move on. He left out how close he came to becoming a vengeful spirit. Sam knew Jody and Bobby had gotten close in the last few months since he saved her from a Levi while she was in the hospital. After she had used her _mom _voice, he promised to stay in touch and she said she'd keep an eye on Singer Salvage. They had been so preoccupied with getting rid of Dick Roman, he hadn't thought about Bobby leaving everything to him and Dean.

It had been almost a month of futile researching for how to get his brother back. He'd try for Cas, too. But if there was a decision to save both or maybe not get Dean back, it would be an easy choice. He had few connections left in the hunting community. The recent years had been hard on the small collection of men and women who called themselves Hunters; between Demons, Angels and Leviathans on top of the usual hazards they faced every day, there weren't that many left. And many still held him responsible for the near-Apocalypse and some knew of the Winchester's failure to stop the release of the Leviathans. The few names left in Bobby or their notebooks who would talk to him didn't know or hadn't heard of any way to help Dean. The notes from Kevin Tran's translation of the _Word of God_ tablet were about how to put the Leviathans back, not get someone out of Purgatory. Sam had tried to reach Charlie, but she hadn't been joking when she said she knew how to disappear. Or at least that's what he hoped. The possibility that she'd been taken by the Levis was not an option he was going to consider.

Without Bobby or Frank he had been reduced to try summoning Meg and Crowley for information. Meg wasn't, or more likely couldn't, answer. Crowley, on top of making snarky statements about the Leviathan weapon having 'a bit of a kick', had deliberately left out the dangers of killing the head Leviathan, and was completely ignoring his calls. He had heard Crowley's demons had been taking down Leviathans all over the globe. And who knew what he was doing with or to Kevin, the prophet? Help from the other end of the supernatural spectrum wasn't forthcoming, either. It was no surprise but he hadn't heard anything from the Angels. The Winchesters were never their favorites and the few left after Castiel's purging of Raphael's followers and the attacks by Leviathans had depleted their ranks. How had Cas put it, Heaven was empty, the entire garrison was dead or in hiding.

Researching how to open Purgatory to return Dean wasn't the only thing keeping Sam occupied. The news was filled with a lot of speculation on the disappearance of Richard Roman and reports of bombings of several of Roman Enterprises facilities. Sam knew more on the subject than all the TV pundits combined. There was small army of hunters, conspiracy-theorists and survivalists out there destroying the Levis research and manufacturing plants. Sam had started the destruction there at the SucroCorp lab. With the information about the first shipment of the ultimate food additive Kevin had managed to get to Sam before he had been taken, Sam had been able to stop the shipment to L.A. He had contacted Garth, Mackey and Lee Chambers to 'spread the word' that Dean had cut off the 'head of the snake'. That was probably the only useful thing Crowley had shared after Dick had been destroyed, "keep the remaining Levis from organizing".

It had taken weeks but millions of people were coming out of their Leviathan food additive stupors and wondering how they gotten the way they were. The last couple of years, and especially the last two months, had seen a lot of strange events. Well, not really so strange to Sam's perspective. The natural disasters Lucifer had inflicted on the world before Sam had taken him back to his cage. Cas' short, violent reign as the New God. The unexpected eclipse Death had arranged to send the Leviathans back to Purgatory The sudden disappearance of many of the world'sfamous and_ important_ people. Sam wished Frank was here to see he was right about all the celebrities he had thought were Leviathans. And then there were the radical changes in behaviors, and now vanishings, of their friends, families and neighbors. The disappearance of thousands of people over the last six months, people that Sam knew had been killed and eaten by Leviathans, was down-played by the authorities. Now, the rest of the world was questioning _the meaning_ of all those events.

Uncertainty had led many people to seek "spiritual guidance". But because Cas had smote the leaders of so many religious and spiritual organizations, the Houses of God still able to hold services were over-flowing with those seeking hope, understanding and guidance. And already, new-age clergy and gurus were popping up everywhere and drawing huge crowds. Most were also raking in donations hand over fist, pedaling the same old 'enlightenment' as before but adding new phrases to fit the current crisis.

There was one, a woman from Spokane in eastern Washington that seemed to be different than the rest. News stories said she'd survived, well not just survived but rescued the other tenants, in the sudden collapse of a small apartment building. The other survivors had all described feeling a massive jolt, like a huge earthquake. Geologists reported there had been a large single spike on seismographs in that area. Actually, they reported there had been a few similar seismic anomalies all over the country. The list of places made the hair on his neck stand up, Providence, Rhode Island, two old cemeteries outside Lawrence, Kansas and in southern of Wyoming and Portland, Oregon….. and the list went on. They were all places where the barriers between dimensions had been broken. But the part that really got Sam's attention, the jolts were felt at the exact time Dean had killed Dick Roman, May 18th at 9: 56pm.

None of the residents of the collapsed building knew much about the heroic young woman that had rescued them. She had recently moved to town and into the building. They all described how, despite having an obvious head wound and being covered in her own blood, she had found them in their crumbling apartments and either led or carried them to safety, stopping to touch each one gently on the forehead before going back for more people. Reporters questioned the survivors and emergency personnel; they all said she didn't say a word either at the site or in the hospital. They had taken her to the Emergency Room assuming she was in shock. By the time they reached the ER, her head wound had disappeared. In fact, she appeared to be in perfect health. The EMTs also remarked how none of the tenants had anything but minor cuts and bruises, no broken bones and no internal injuries.

The hospital staff, interviewed the next day, stated how lucky it had been that there hadn't been any major injuries because a lot of their staff had not shown up for work or left very suddenly that night. Sam guessed that was because of Leviathans running for the hills before Crowley's demons could take them down. One nurse described how the woman didn't seem able to understand or speak English. Well, not just English, but none of the translators of Spanish, Russian, Chinese or any other language they tried had been able to get a response. She just sat there on the stretcher watching all the activity. After a couple of hours, the woman had stood up and announced, "I'm sorry my coming caused so much pain and destruction" and walked out of the ER. By the time security had tried to stop her, she had vanished in the night.

The Spokane police didn't have much more information according to their official statements. Her name was Amelia Stone, she was new to the Spokane area and they could find no family, there was a recently issued driver's license and Social Security number but no previous employment. Law enforcement spokespeople also made a point of saying the collapse of the building had NOT been a bombing or ruptured gas main and the cause was still under investigation. Sam was pretty sure he could enlighten them on the cause, not that anybody would believe him.

Sam didn't pay much attention to the survivor's stories of miraculous healing as she had helped them from the building. People in dangerous situations can get pretty hysterical. No, it was the numerous stories in newspapers and blogs in the month since that night. Amelia Stone had been spotted several times in since mid-May. At every place she had been seen someone claimed to have been healed or reported a spiritual awakening or getting a message from their long-lost hamster or their beloved, but dead, sister. One guy reported getting the recipe for his recently deceased mom's spaghetti sauce. Another said she told the funniest joke he'd ever heard and that it had stopped him from committing suicide. Farmers claimed dry wells now had water, ranchers stated every mare, cow, sow and ewe they owned was pregnant and a small forest fire had suddenly been rained out by 'clouds that seemed to come out of no where'.

She never asked for or accepted anything but food, water and a place to sleep for the night. Witnesses said she didn't appear to be hitch-hiking. She'd be standing at interstate ramps or rest areas or and somebody always just stopped and gave her a ride. A small group of people had started travelling behind her, documenting her "miracles". A few had figured the route she was taking, like Sam, and would be staked out in rest areas. Some called themselves followers but she never spoke to them. Amelia never even acknowledged their presence unless one of them was hungry, dehydrated or hurt.

Tracing her stops and small detours on a map, Sam could see she was travelling on an easterly course, starting along I-90 out of Spokane. Basically, she seemed to be headed for Omaha, the site of the SucroCorp lab where they had dispatched Dick Roman and where Dean had disappeared. Hunters, and especially Winchesters, don't believe in coincidence. He didn't yet know who or what this _woman_ was but he knew he had to find her. Somehow, Amelia Stone was the key to bringing Dean home.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

She was back. She had come back more times than even she could remember. From the dawn of time and through the long millennia she'd come back whenever she was wanted or needed. Since before man had walked upright or had words, she'd been guiding and assisting all living things. After humans started communicating, sharing their ideas and beliefs, she been deified and worshipped; cultures and civilizations had built up around her and had fallen; and she'd also been demonized and her followers had been tortured and killed over the centuries. Other than a few "flower children", Wiccans and a fairly rude TV commercial in the later part of the last century, she'd been forgotten and ignored for a long time. Well, not that long in her relatively long existence. But it had been quite a while since she'd been able to make her presence known. A big mistake in her opinion, considering the state in which she'd found her beloved planet last time she was here. Despite her love for the human race, she was often heart-broken at the way they treated her gift of beautiful, healthy and self-sustaining ecosystems. But what could she do, she could only come and/or stay as long she was allowed to.

Before the planet had finished forming, she had been born from the Chaos, the great void within the cosmos. She had brought light and life to this pretty little blue-green rock. Where there was only dark and emptiness, she had brought the seasons, the forests and rivers. She had had children and given them the means to grow and thrive. She wasn't as all powerful as she had been at the beginning. The millennia and in-fighting among her families had reduced her powers. She could no longer assume any form at any time and move about the planet as easily as the wind. Now, when she was sent back, she was tied to a single form, usually human, and had to live within the restrictions of that form.

She rarely missed not being able to travel all over the planet with a blink of the eye. Being in this female form was so much truer to her nature. Her whole reason for being was to bring life and offer wisdom and protection. Women and all the other females of the species seem to understand the need to nurture and defend others. Sure, she had run across some wonderful, loving males; those Emperor Penguins and Seahorses were some of the most devoted parents she had ever come across. And she was still devastated by the cruelty of Leto who had her children, Apollo and Artemis, kill all 14 of Niobe's children just because the silly woman boasted she was superior at having children. And despite mankind finally giving up child sacrifice, way too many societies still treated women and children as property to be bartered and sold.

What would they call her this time? She'd awoken in a young women's body, a young woman named Amelia Stone. Amelia's mother had been of the Spokane Indian tribe. It made perfect sense that she had been chosen. As with most indigenous peoples of North America, the Spokane's lives were closely bonded to the land and living things. Of the hundreds of names she had been given and used since mankind started recording its history, Gaia, Terra, Demeter, Isis being but a few, her favorite name had always been Gaia; but Amelia was a good name. It meant industrious and fertile and those qualities described her true identity pretty well. And how could there be a better name for her than Stone. Of course, the name most frequently used was Mother Nature (or Earth, depending on which ancient historian you wanted to believe) but that was so formal. No, Amelia Stone was a good name.

Something had shaken Amelia's building so bad it had started to collapse just as she arrived. She hoped her arrival hadn't caused the destruction, pain and suffering. But she knew the One, who or whatever it was, that controlled such things rarely paid much attention to the small details like ruining lives and homes. It wasn't that she hadn't ever caused destruction. Sometimes she had to use her power violently and had sacrificed living things in the need to correct mistakes or make necessary changes. But she preferred to quietly nudge things along. So, she had used just enough of her energy to get all the tenants to safety without any real injuries. It was always better not to announce her arrival with any grand or epic displays of her power until she knew a little bit more about why she was here.

When she came, she was always given enough knowledge to function and blend-in to her current situation. She always knew the local language. Actually, she knew all languages of all the intelligent species on the planet. She couldn't 'speak' to all the species, a human body just couldn't make the clicks, whistles and pulsed calls to verbalize with whales and other underwater mammals. But she could telepathically _talk_ to almost all living things.

Since humans had decided to cover their bodies clothing had gone from ridiculously simple animal skins and then togas to monstrously complicated bustles and layer upon layer of cloth. Now, clothing had finally gone back to practical and easy to wear. Modes of transportation and communication had progressed enormously in the last centuries. She'd learned how to drive a car and dial a telephone last time she was here. Electronic devices had made huge advances and people could communicate with others around the world as easily as talking to a neighbor over the back fence. Like so many of mankind's _achievements,_ she had mixed feelings because of the natural resources she'd given the planet were being used at an incredible rate.

"Amelia" had let herself be taken to the hospital with the other survivors, even though she had already healed her new body. She watched the emergency room staff do their work and was glad to see the hearts of true healers still beat with courage and compassion. She watched the nurses and doctors examine the people she had helped from the building, smiling slightly at their confusion as to the lack of pain and injury. After giving life, easing suffering was her most prized power.

Despite all the turmoil and noise around her she could feel something was not right with this place and time. Not just here at the hospital or this city but the whole planet. She was sure it was the reason she was here. It was familiar, this sense and feeling of foreboding and darkness. She searched her memories, stretching back to the earliest of times… Leviathans!

How had they escaped Purgatory? She didn't see any right here and now but their stench lingered in this place. No wonder she had been brought back. If that much evil had been let loose on the planet it would take everything and everyone who loved and protected this place and its inhabitants to fight those monsters. She had heard the ER staff talk about the sudden disappearance of a number of their coworkers tonight. From the potency of the smell, they must have flocked to this place. If the Leviathans had given up their positions, something very important must have happened. They were not afraid of anything or anyone. They took what they wanted and had complete contempt for all other beings. They had almost destroyed the planet and all its inhabitants last time they were free. She was pretty sure whatever had happened, it hadn't been the One to make it happen. If the One had managed to re-imprison them, she wouldn't have been brought back. Whatever had happened was tied to her return, she didn't believe in coincidence.

Amelia sat in the ER and listened to what the people and planet could tell her. It took a while, but yes, something drastic had just happened. The head of the Leviathan had been killed and returned to Purgatory. That would explain the others deserting their placements. But it was more than just losing their leader. The Leviathans were scared. They were being hunted and killed. Well, nothing really killed them but there ranks were being depleted. There, under the Leviathan stink, was another reeking smell. The smell of demons, lots of demons. Someone had killed the Leviathan leader with the help of demons.

But something had gone horribly wrong. Whoever had sent the Leviathan back to Purgatory had been taken down too! And there was another, a brother that had been part of the effort to rid the world of the creeping darkness that was Leviathan. Her reason for being here was becoming clearer. Getting rid of the Leviathan may have been the One's reason she had been sent for but she was sensing a much more important reason to be here. First, and foremost, she was a mother. Saving two motherless young men, both imperiled and desperate, was just as important to her. And there was something more, she could sense the whole planet had been assaulted this night.

She apologized to the people in the ER who had been hurt by her arrival, left the hospital and walked out to find the young man left behind and help him rescue his brother, and finish saving the planet while they were at it.

Author's Note: I think I've got the posting process down, so there shouldn't be any more multiple re-postings because I forgot a step. I'd also like to say I really appreciate the review and people liking the story enough to 'follow' it. Hope you continue to enjoy.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer, and spoiler alert for Season 8 in the disclaimer: I just read an interview with Jeremy Carver. Apparently Sam's love interest being added to the show is named Amelia. Great minds thinking alike, huh? So, I really want to finish the story before the season starts so my Amelia and their Amelia don't overlap.

Author's Note: This one is a little long, but gets Sam and Amelia moving toward each other.

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Chapter 3

After leaving the hospital, Amelia had found her way to the ramp for I-90 Eastbound, closed he eyes and _asked for a ride. _Soon, she was thanking the large dog that had come and offered to carry her on her back. While she was pointing out it wouldn't be safe for either of them, the dog's owner stopped and thanked her for finding her beloved Rottweiler, adding "we're heading to our home near Coeur d' Alene, could you use a ride". She climbed into the pickup with Pam and Daisy, who decided she would let her very special new friend have the window seat, and Amelia's journey was underway.

A few hours later, as Pam left Amelia off at her exit east of the city near the end of the lake, Daisy thanked her for giving her the puppies she could feel she was now carrying. Pam drove away shaking her head, wondering how and when her normally defensive dog had become such a marshmallow.

Amelia was picked up by Jim, who was on his way back to Missoula. He had been in Coeur d' Alene settling his mother's estate after her sudden demise. He mentioned he didn't usually pick up hitch-hikers but he just _had to_ stop. Amelia smiled and nodded to Jim's mother's spirit sitting next to him in her classic T-bird they were all now riding in. He talked about how much he missed his mom, Angela. Angie told Amelia how much she worried about her son. They had stopped to stretch their legs, well Jim and Amelia, when Jim sat down on a bench and started to quietly cry. He said his mom had taught him to cook and he was a successful chef because of her. He had spent a day going through her all her papers trying to find the recipe for her spaghetti sauce. It was the only one she had never shared with him, and he had never been able to 'get it right'. Amelia saw the tears in Angela's eyes and Amelia silently asked her if she wanted to talk to Jim one last time. Amelia asked Jim if he had pencil and paper. As Angie dictated her recipe to her, Jim watched in amazement as Amelia wrote out a recipe in his mother's handwriting. Amelia handed the recipe, including Angie's secret ingredient, to Jim. He just stared at her, open mouthed with no words coming out.

Amelia was expecting a lot of questions or denial or anger, something. In her experience, people often had time hard time accepting communicating with those beyond the veil. Jim finally found his voice, thanked her and asked if his mom was still here. When Amelia nodded yes, Jim smiled and sighed, "Really mom, you're handwriting is still horrible. " Angela smiled back at her son as he added, "What is this word, licorice?" And suddenly he could swear he could smell his mom's kitchen, feel her touch his face and he quietly stared at the recipe and wept tears of peaceful joy. He sat there remembering how much he loved his mother. Amelia left Jim and Angie and walked through the semi-trucks stopped at the rest area until a driver offered her a ride. Several people stopped and asked if Jim if he was okay. He smiled and told anybody who would listen what the quiet young woman had done for him. She was back on the road, heading east before Jim noticed she was gone.

Two days later Amelia had met two long haul truckers and a few local travelers but hadn't made much progress. All of the generous people that offered her rides had been on the last legs of their journeys and getting off the interstate only a few hours into the drive. Despite her desire to reach her destination and find the young man, she couldn't ignore the needs she found along her route. One had been a farmer facing ruin because his wells had dried up and he couldn't afford to buy enough water like the big, commercial farms. Amelia had gone with Eric because despite his being gruff and loud he was a loving father who believed if "he took care of his land and stock they would take care of him". When they had reached his place, a small working farm/ranch had he had bought 10 years ago believing he could make a difference to his children's, and the planet's, health by using natural methods. Amelia healed and filled his wells. He had taken her back to the highway, carrying a couple canteens of fresh well water and sandwiches on home-made bread, to catch another ride. She saw a great deal of Montana because of such diversions, ate some of the tastiest foods she could remember and met dozens of people who loved this planet almost as much as she did.

But her sense of urgency was increasing as the weeks had passed. She was travelling with a caravan of RVers when they were stopped because the interstate was closed just west of Devil's Tower in eastern Wyoming. She had been reluctant to ride in the huge machines that seemed so wasteful to her. But the people in these mobile homes were more tied to the land than she could have imagined. It turned out they were all retired and loved travelling around the country and communing with nature. They travelled from one _clothing-optional_ resort to another. Amelia couldn't help laughing along with her companions when they had explained they called themselves the BNSs, Bare Nekkid Seniors.

But now they, as well as everybody else, had been stopped by roadblocks because a forest fire along the highway made it unsafe to pass until it was under control. Her companions were in no hurry so they pulled out their folding tables and set up for a game of bridge. Amelia was not as willing to wait. She could find no where to get out of sight, and decided she could complete this task without being too obvious. She stood next to the RV, turned her face to the sky and silently asked the air currents to bring water molecules so clouds would form. Within half an hour everybody had taken refuge in their vehicles from the sudden wind storm, bringing rain heavy clouds. In less than an hour the skies had opened up and it was pouring rain over most of northeastern Wyoming.

Three hours later the police opened the interstate to traffic since the unexpected deluge had completely extinguished the fire that was presumably started by a cigarette thrown from a car on the highway. Amelia wasn't sure if she would have used her power to put out the fire if it had been started by natural circumstances. But, she was moving again and she had stopped yet another man-made assault on her beautiful high prairie. She remembered something she had heard the last time she had been here; "everybody needs one or two juicy rationalizations to get through the day".

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Sam had holed up at Rufus' cabin while gathering information and tracking Amelia's movements. He'd followed her from Spokane through Idaho and Montana along I-90 east. The irony that they may have actually passed each other going opposite directions on the interstate didn't escape him. When she had stayed on 90 in Wyoming, instead of taking I-25 south which would have been the quicker way to Omaha, Sam wasn't as sure she was headed to Nebraska. Sure, she could stay on 90 until Sioux Falls and then head down I-29 to Omaha. He was disappointed for about 30 seconds, thinking he had misread the situation. But there it was again, coincidence…. Sioux Falls!

Sam wondered how despite her slow but straight forward progress east along the interstate there were no reports of Amelia being stopped and/or questioned by any law enforcement officers. She'd fled across state lines after surviving an explosion and leaving the hospital in Spokane and not even the FBI seemed to care, at least publicly. Sam could find no reports that her progress had been hampered by demons or Levis, either. Not that the news would have called any incidences demonic or supernatural. The Leviathans might have bigger problems right now but he couldn't believe Crowley had missed the reports. The King of Hell wouldn't have let a mysterious stranger, especially someone who seemed to have magical powers, just casually stroll across North America. He'd grabbed up Kevin, the Prophet, without batting an eye.

Sam called Jody Mills in Sioux Falls. She wouldn't take his call until she stepped outside the Sheriff's office. He told her about his lack of progress finding anything to help Dean but he was sure the appearance of this woman, Amelia Stone, at the exact same time as his brother's disappearance was important. She confirmed that she had also heard of Amelia. Jody said she seemed to be headed her way until she vanished in Oacoma this morning. She added that the FBI had contacted her and that they thought she was headed her way, too. She had also been instructed, in a way that left no room for discussion, her officers were not to engage the young woman in any way. Sam knew the sheriff well enough to know that hadn't sat well with Jody. Sam hadn't had to even ask, she had volunteered to keep an eye out for her and let him know if anything came up.

He packed up the car with any and every thing he thought might be of use and headed south out of Whitefish to see if he could catch up to Amelia somewhere before she reached their former home base at Bobby's home in Sioux Falls. He drove, stopping only for gas and to catch a couple hours of sleep. The Impala's miserable gas mileage actually gave Sam a chance to stop, connect to the internet and check to see if Amelia had been spotted. He rolled his eyes as he heard Dean's voice in his head telling him "comments like that is why she likes me better". He silently apologized to Dean's baby for disparaging her mileage and thanked her for being their rock all these years as he pulled back onto the road.

Sam had lived most of his life in the Impala. His dad had dragged him and Dean across the country chasing monsters and the demon that killed his mom. He and Dean had continued Saving People and Hunting Things. Hell, Dean had said that so often he thought about having T-shirts made. His memories of his life with Dean in the Impala had helped Sam control Lucifer and stop the Apocalypse. Becky had showed him Chuck Shurely's last book and even a prophet knew how much she meant to the Winchesters. He knew Dean agreed and he certainly thought it possible that he was driving "the most important object ever". Dean had let Meg drive _his Baby_ into the SucroCorp sign as a diversion while they had broken in and killed Roman. That was just how desperate they had been that Dean had let a demon drive his beloved car.

So, now here he was, back in the Impala, headed to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, "well and truly on his own", as Crowley had put it. This trip was different, yet at the same time felt so much like four years ago, because he was racing to find a way to save his brother.

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Author's Note #2: Daisy is a Rottweiler as a tribute to Lampito and her Jimiverse, her intelligent and humorous stories have provided me hours and hours of entertainment and brightened many days. Thanks.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

Despite her desire to get to where she was needed quickly, it had taken Amelia several weeks to reach the eastern border of South Dakota. She'd also drawn more attention to herself than she had intended. People were waiting for her at most rest areas and some of the rides offered had definite strings attached. She'd abandoned the interstate where it crossed the Missouri River and used smaller, back roads to keep going east. Amelia was getting close to her destination, she could feel it. When she'd left her arrival point all she knew was east, the rest was very unclear. She had discovered the place where the Leviathan had been dispatched and the other brother lost; but that was not where she was needed. She could still sense the troubled young man but he had been on the move and Amelia would never be able to find him that way. There was a place where he would go, a special place where the water cascaded down ancient steps. And there was something more there as well. Something not as old as the falling water, because it was made by men rather than glaciers, but it would be essential to her mission.

Amelia had asked the birds of the grasslands and prairies if they knew where the water falls were. The Magpies were eager to report they knew of the place she was seeking and tried to tell her how to get there. She thanked her winged scouts even though they hadn't been terribly helpful. They had given her the best directions they could, but "as the crow flies" really didn't help her earth-bound form. Amelia may not know the name of the place she sought but with both the young man and a powerful tool in the same place, she knew she was almost at her goal.

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Sam made it to the Sioux Falls area in two days. He'd left a cryptic message on the sheriff's private line, in case her phone was tapped. He stayed out of the city, driving the back roads and using the back entrance to Singer Salvage. It was just before two in the morning when he stopped the Impala by what used to be the back porch of Bobby's house. He stared at the burned out shell of the place that had been such a large part of his life. Images and memories, good and bad, from a lifetime of stays flooded back to him. He was close to having a personal 'chick flick moment' when Jody Mills drove her cruiser around the corner of the house.

The sheriff was a sight for sore eyes. He couldn't remember if Bobby had ever given her an anti-possession amulet, but he knew he hadn't. Sam knew from experience demons had infiltrated police departments. And even though the Levis were on the run, taking the shape of the one law enforcement officer the Winchesters trusted would be perfect for them. He got out of the Impala ready for anything. For her part, Jody was also glad to see the youngest of the hunting trio she had come to think of as friends. She'd also learned enough from Bobby to know the protocol and started taking off her jacket so Sam could do his tests. Even though it had only been a month, they both tested each other with salt, iron, silver and borax. When they were done they let out the breaths they hadn't noticed they were holding and smiled, somewhat sadly, at each other.

They didn't have time for small talk or pleasantries. It turned out the FBI had talked to every city police chief, county sheriff and state police head between Montana and the eastern seaboard. Jody confirmed there had been no confirmed sightings in the two days since Amelia Stone left the interstate. There had been unconfirmed reports all along the Missouri south of where I-90 crosses the river, all the way to Omaha. Sam wondered aloud if he had gotten it wrong.

"No, you didn't." A quiet voice spoke to them as Amelia stepped out of the shadows of Bobby's ruined house. "I created a few small diversions; I thought we needed some privacy to meet."

Sam and Jody both had their guns drawn before they had finished turning to the voice. Amelia stayed very still, but slowly smiled at Sam. "I knew you'd come back here. I've come a very long ways to help you find your brother."

Sheriff Mills started to relax her aim at the mysterious stranger. Sam wasn't quite as quick to trust this unknown person; hell, he wasn't even sure it was a person. It was Jody who found her voice first, "Can we assume by 'a very long way' you don't mean Spokane?"

There was that soft smile again, thought Sam, still just staring at the woman. "Yes. I'm Amelia, it's a pleasant surprise to find two of you here. You are?"

"Jody Mills, sheriff of Minnehaha County." And Sam still seemed to be stuck dumb, so she added, "This is Sam Winchester."

An expression of surprised recognition and then an outright smile crossed Amelia's face. Samuel. An ancient name meaning 'told by God' or 'God's heart'. She could see either fit this man. He could have been one of her own children, filled with love, anger, pathos and power. She sensed he had already been through as much turmoil and fought as many battles, personal and universal, as any of the_ gods_ she had given birth to. There were no questions left in her heart. He was the reason she was brought forth and together they would be able to save his brother and the planet.

At hearing his name, Sam finally came out of his trance. "Dean. My brother's name is Dean. If you're going to help me save him, you should know his name." Sam wasn't sure where that came from. Of all the things he imagined he'd say to this _woman_, he didn't think it would be blathering on about his brother's name.

"Thank you, Sam. I'm glad to meet you and know you and your brother's names."

He still hadn't put down his gun hand. He wanted to trust her but there were too many questions. Shit, the only thing he did know was her name. "Who…what are you?"

"I'm sure you have a great many questions, Sam." It was nice to finally have a face and a name instead of just sensing him. "I will tell you any and every thing you want to know. However, right now we need to find the key before we are discovered here."

"The key?" asked Sam. He couldn't believe how easily they were talking, like they were just regular folks. "Wait, what do mean before we are discovered?"

"There are others that have been watching this place, and you."

"I was careful, nobody followed me here." Sam knew he hadn't been followed.

"No, but Jody's vehicle was transmitting a very strong electronic signal." Amelia pointed to the sheriff's car. "I turned it off as she came down the driveway, but I fear that it was too late. Whoever is following her will know she is here."

Jody cursed under her breath. "I knew there was something off about those feds."

Amelia turned back to the house. "It's here, I can feel it nearby."

"Wait. Where are you going? And what key?" Sam instinctively took a couple of steps to follow Amelia. If she was right about somebody following the sheriff, they probably didn't have long.

She didn't stop moving into the rubble of Bobby's house. "I feel that it's here. An ancient talisman of great power we will need to open a door to get your brother out of Purgatory." Amelia turned back to face Sam. She could see his mind flash an image of the talisman. "Yes. Sam. That's it. You do know what we seek."

Sam had seen a hundred ancient relics over the years at Bobby's. How was he supposed to know which one she had seen him remember. He would wait to ask how she was able to read his mind. Cas had pretty much gotten them over being pissed about the whole privacy-invading thing. "Bobby had lots of ancient pieces. Can you be more specific as to what we're looking for?"

"It wasn't of the man who lived here. It was your broth ..….Dean's. He wore it next to his heart and it was like a piece of his heart and soul. You've been protecting it for him."

Sam knew immediately what she meant. Dean's amulet. He had retrieved it from a garbage can, almost three years ago, when Dean had lost faith in him. "It was in the fireplace. There was a loose brick and a secret compartment."

He put his gun back into his waistband as they went deeper into the house. Sam knew he should be demanding answers and testing her with silver or borax, and all the other things they had to test a supernatural being. But she just gave off this sense of calm serenity and power. She hadn't been afraid of him or Jody when they had pointed their guns at her. But she hadn't threatened or unarmed them either. And he was pretty sure she could have taken the guns, and maybe thrown them halfway across the yard, if she had wanted to.

They carefully picked a path through what had been the parlor making their way towards the fireplace, which had come through the explosion and fire with little damage. Jody stayed out by the cars to act as watch. As Sam pulled back a hunk of ceiling that had fallen against the mantle he noticed a glow shining between the cracks in the mortar. It got brighter as Amelia approached the fireplace. Sam lifted out the loose brick and had to turn his face away from the light. He turned to stare at Amelia, she seemed to be glowing as well. She reached out and took the amulet in her hand and they both suddenly stopped glowing.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked as Amelia stared at the amulet like she was trying to listen to something it was saying. Since she smiled and nodded at it, she may have been for all Sam knew. She started to reach out to put the string around Sam's neck. Sam took a startled step back, "Whoa! What are you doing?"

"Sam, we will need his help to get Dean back. It would be better if you kept it close to your heart." Amelia still had her arms out with the necklace hanging between her hands.

"What. You explain the glowing first, because it's never done that before. Not even when Castiel was looking for God…." Sam remembered what Cas had said, that 'it burns hot in God's presence'. "Are you God?"

"Not the god you were seeking then. Not even a god in the way you've come to think of the gods. I know you've met a few and had unpleasant encounters with them." Amelia sighed and put the necklace around her own neck and turned to leave.

"Okay, you need to wait a minute. This is all going a little too fast." Sam was trying to get in front of Amelia and stop her from leaving, until he heard sirens way in the distance. "Shit."

"Those are not for us, but others are approaching quietly on the main road. It is time we left."

"What's coming?" Sam was now moving as quickly as she was out the back door.

Jody was listening to her scanner when they cleared the porch. "The feebs are a couple miles out"

"There is at least one demon among those approaching."

"You got that partly right. Demons are already here." Sam and Jody started to turn to the male voice coming from just the other side of the cars. "And what have we here, Sa….."

Before he could even finish his sentence the demon fell to the ground dead. Now Sam and Jody both turned back to where Amelia was just lowering her hand from grasping the amulet around her neck. "They are almost here. Jody you must go now! Sam and I will prevent them from following you."

Jody started to argue, but Sam cut her off. "She's right. You can't be found here, even if it's just the feds."

Amelia quickly added, "Jody, I know you want to protect Sam, but you can't this time. I can."

Somehow Jody knew what Amelia spoke was right. She jumped in her cruiser, hit the gas and was out of sight before the first engine could be heard coming up the long driveway from the road. "So what's the plan?" Sam asked as they turned to face the approaching vehicles.

"You must not be seen. They are mostly humans and if they see you, you will be blamed for what I am about to do." Amelia turned back to Sam and pointed to the Impala, "Sam, please get in the car, now."

"Uh, what are you about to do?" Sam just managed to get out before Amelia turned and walked to the front of the house.

Sam followed her and they could just make out the shapes of their vehicles coming around the last bend in the drive. She took a deep breath and a dust cloud suddenly rose up from the driveway. Amelia turned back to Sam with a look somewhere between 'I'm sorry and I told you so' and clapped her hands together very hard. Sam felt an intense burning pain in his head. As he started falling to his knees from the pain he could see a dust cloud so thick the black SUVs had to stop. She grabbed the talisman around her neck again and killed any demons in the cars. The real police officers wouldn't be able to see anything until the dust settled, which she had arranged would last several minutes.

Amelia went back to where Sam lay on the ground and pushed the hair away from his grimacing face. In a sad but soothing voice she said, "I'm sorry. You'll better when you wake, go to sleep now." With her words the pain was gone and he slipped into unconsciousness. She picked him up as gently as she could and carried him back to the car. Amelia tucked him into the passenger seat and got behind the wheel.

She started the car and took off the way Sam had come in and Jody had gone a few minutes earlier.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

"We needed to get away from there." She said as she slowed down. "I'm sorry you went through that. Are you feeling better now?" Amelia sounded truly remorseful about the pain Sam had felt before passing out.

He could remember most of it now. The dust cloud, Amelia clapping her hands and then the fiery pain in his head. He didn't remember getting to the car. Somehow she had managed to manhandle him back into the car. Speaking of handling him…..

"How did you get me into the car? I must have 12 inches and 70 pounds on you." He asked but quickly decided he had more pressing questions. "What happened back there?"

"Sam, I promised to answer all your questions, but can it wait until we stop? " Amelia asked obviously still struggling to drive the powerful car.

"Yeah. Where are we?" The sun was just rising over the horizon on the driver's side of the car, so Sam knew they were headed south. Shit, if the sun was coming up it meant he'd been out at least a couple of hours.

"I have no idea. But, if you're feeling well enough I'd really like to let you take over the driving."

Sam could see the lights of a 24 hour gas station ahead. 'Pull in there. We'll fill her up and I'll take over."

"Her?" Amelia asked as she started slowing down the Impala, a slightly bemused look on her face.

"The car. She's Dean's _Baby_." Sam clarified.

As Amelia pulled the car off the road and up to a pump, she laughed lightly. "I look forward to meeting Dean."

The way she said it, that meeting Dean was a certainty; not a maybe, not a goal, not even a hope; but that it WAS going to happen, filled Sam's heart with more hope than he had felt since he had disappeared. He was still savoring that feeling when Amelia turned off the ignition. The quiet broke the spell, and he started to get out of the car. It suddenly occurred to him he still had no idea who or what this woman was.

"Can we get something to eat and drink before we get back on the road?" Amelia asked as Sam headed into the store to pay for gas. She said it so casual, like they were on some kind of road trip together. And after thinking about, he guessed they kind of were.

"Sure. What do you eat?" Sam thought he saw the strangest look cross over her face, almost like she was hurt.

With a small sigh, she said. "Any fresh fruit or vegetables and water would be nice."

"Sure." Sam wasn't sure a middle-of-nowhere place like this would have much in the way of fresh. But he also thought about not having to worry about food additives like he did with all of Dean's food.

Ten minutes later they were back in the car and Sam asked, "Which way?"

"Can you find someplace for me to answer your questions?" Sam nodded his head as Amelia added. "We need to head south. I need to see where Dean killed the Leviathan."

"What!" Sam managed to get out as he turned toward Amelia in complete shock.

"Sam, find us somewhere safe to talk. Are you okay to drive?" Sam let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, with a huff. He nodded because he wasn't sure he could think of anything to say without sounding like an idiot and pulled out on to the road, going south.

It took less than five minutes to find a side road that looked like it didn't see much traffic. Sam followed the road until they went around a bend that completely obscured them from the road, and stopped the car. The sun was now fully up and it was already warm in the Midwest morning sun. "It's such a beautiful morning; can we get out and walk?" Amelia asked.

Sam was tired of feeling at a loss and like he was being strung along. "How about we stay here." Sam turned to face the passenger side of the sedan, making it clear he wasn't going anywhere with her.

Amelia sighed but nodded her consent. "Do you want me to start, or do you want to ask questions?"

Sam had so many questions he didn't know where to start. He had never done any tests to make sure she wasn't a demon or leviathan. But he also figured if she was out to hurt him she had had more than enough time to do that by now. There was just something about her that was…. _comfortable_. _ Safe_. She was like how he had imagined Angels would be like, before he met Uriel and most of the rest of the _heavenly host_. Shit. When was he going to quit trusting strange, obviously not human women! "Who, or what are you?" He might as well start with the basics.

She could feel the uncertainty in his voice and debated how to answer the question without making him any more afraid of her. "I think the easiest answer would be Mother Nature." Amelia waited for a response. But Sam just sat there staring at her. She waited a few seconds before adding. "I'm not sure that I can explain what I am. I'm not sure I even know the words to describe what I am. Or what I used to be." When Sam still didn't respond, she kept on. "If you'll believe me, I can assure you I'm not a demon or leviathan. And that I was sent to help you get Dean back."

At the mention of his brother's name, Sam's mind started processing the information he'd just heard. "Mother Nature. Huh?" He was back to too many questions, but his eyes fell upon Dean's amulet and remembered the intense, white light it had made last night. "So, you are a god, or do you prefer goddess, then?" He asked while pointing the necklace.

She smiled at his choice of question and admired his ability to ignore the confusion raging in his mind and get right to the point. Glancing down at the talisman, "It's a long story, a very long story. I'm older than all beings that mankind has called God." She paused, when Sam didn't ask for details she continued. "You're a …., I think it's called a Hunter these days, aren't you?"

When Sam slowly nodded his head, a sad smile touched the corners of Amelia's mouth. Sam was a Hunter, although that was a relatively new name for the ancient profession. There had been _Hunters_ since earliest man had encountered the beings that terrorized them. It also explained the pain and suffering, and sacrifice and courage she saw in his past. "Then you must know something of the history and mythology about me?"

"No, not really." He could swear she looked disappointed. "It's never really come up. I mean, we hunt evil. You know, things that hurt and kill humans." He felt like he had hurt her feelings. "You've not been here in a while, at least there have never been any sightings that I've ever heard of, and you said you come to help." Her face brightened slightly. "You're like unicorns, nobody believes in them, either." Her smile disappeared and he could see her eyes start to fill with tears. He couldn't believe he was trying to soothe the hurt feelings of an ancient, obviously powerful, being. "I'm sorry. It's not that no one believes in you. I think Wiccans do. It's just…." He stopped before he said anything that made her start crying.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence. Sam decided to change the subject. "Why do we need to go to Omaha?"

She took a deep breath to regain her composure. "It was where Dean crossed the barrier into Purgatory. Of all the portals that opened that night, it's the one I will most likely be able to reach across and feel his presence."

"You can get him back if you can find him?" Sam was pretty sure she would have just said _get him back_ rather than _feel him_ if she was able to do that, but he had to ask. "Wait, what do you mean other portals?" And he knew the answer before he had finished asking the question. "Portland. Lawrence. Providence. Broward County. Wyoming. All the places that had earthquakes that night were portals opening?"

"I don't know the names, but there were several. I don't think they actually opened, but they may have been damaged. Places were the barriers were weak from previous openings. Have you been to all those places?"

"Yes. Well, no. The one in Rhode Island was before our time and we were too late to stop the dragons from opening a door for Eve, their mother, to leave Purgatory. But Dean and I were at all those other places. But they weren't all openings to Purgatory. Florida was a time-loop set up by an angel. In Wyoming it was a Devil's Gate and Kansas is where I ... I fell into Lucifer's cage."

Now it was Amelia's turn to be dumb-struck. So much had happened in the short number of years this young man had been alive. His whole life had been one long test of strength and character. She could see all his memories now, the suffering he had been put through. And in almost every one of those memories there was another sole as strong and brave as his. It was how he kept going through it all. As sure as she was that this young man was worth her help, he was that sure his brother was worth saving. Suddenly Amelia felt very silly for worrying about nobody remembering her. These boys, mere mortals, had already saved the planet almost as many times in their brief lives as she had in several millennia.

"Do you think anything made it through those other portals?" Sam's question brought Amelia back to the present.

"I doubt it. It's possible but I wasn't brought through a pre-existing portal. When the One sends me back, he doesn't need a weak barrier, he creates a portal for me to reach the planet."

"The One?'

"That's what I call the ….being or presence that created me from the primordial chaos. He or it, or them, I really don't know, is what sends me back." Before Sam started to speak, she added. "No, it's not what you think of as God. It created all the beings that humans have called God, and Death."

Sam thought he should be terrified. He was sitting in the Impala with a being as old, and powerful as God and Death, and had basically told her to do 'sit down and start talking'. But what he was thinking was that she wasn't from Purgatory, and if she wasn't from there maybe she wouldn't be able to get Dean out.

"No, I can't get Dean back by myself. But, I swear, together we will." She half-smiled and shrugged her shoulders, which Sam took as an apology for reading his thoughts. They both smiled at each other like they had shared some secret joke. Then she casually inquired. "What's for breakfast?"

There it was again, the comfortable, easy feeling of a friend asking a simple question. "Maybe we could stretch our legs and eat in the sunshine." Sam opened his door and Amelia did the same. They walked a short ways to a small, grassy rise. She asked him if Dean was anything like him and to tell her about him. After almost choking on his fruit, he laughed harder than he had in months, maybe years. He told her they were very different and there wasn't enough time to even scratch the surface when it came to Dean.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to wait until I get to meet him, then."

They finished eating their small breakfast and headed back to the Impala. Sam turned Dean's car around and headed back to the road. He looked over to Amelia for a last confirmation and turned south towards Omaha.

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Author's Note: I would like to thank those of you have taken time to send encouragements and compliments. I'm grateful for the feedback. I'm having a wonderful time writing the story. The only negative, now I'm as addicted to writing a Supernatural fan fiction as I am to reading them.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Even though it was under 200 miles from Sioux Falls to Omaha down the I-29, it took them all day to get there using the back roads They had stopped for lunch outside Bancroft, near the Forty Second Parallel. Sam had been explaining how _modern_ Hunters worked. He'd never really thought about hunting as being as ancient as mankind itself. Someone as old as Mother Nature admiring Hunters certainly put a new perspective on the profession. He had fought so hard to get away from hunting and now couldn't imagine his life any other way. He opened the trunk to show Amelia the tools of his trade. Sam had thought about stashing the Impala and stealing another car to be less conspicuous. But even Amelia agreed, with some reservations because of the amount of gas it used, that they needed Dean's car and the arsenal in the trunk.

By the time they reached the outskirts of Omaha, and the industrial park area where the SucroCorp lab had been, it was dusk. Sam had told Amelia everything they had learned while trying to stop the Levis, including the accidental discovery that Borax burned them. She asked a few questions here and there but spent most of the ride glued to Sam's laptop. For her part, Amelia had mixed feelings about the small, portable computer. She was delighted her trees didn't need to be cut down to print as many books but these devices also used up a lot of natural resources. She hadn't wanted to tell Sam she already knew all she needed to know about Leviathans from the last time they were free to roam the planet.

Sam had decided to drive up a small hill overlooking the industrial park to get a good look around before driving to the burned out building. He found a perfect spot to see down into SucroCorp property. What was left of the lab was still surrounded by yellow police tape. The building looked deserted but an occasional security cart passed by, making its way from one group of buildings to the next. As the sun set completely and darkness consumed their lookout, the industrial park was bathed in the glow of the street and security lights. Amelia got out the car and joined Sam looking down at the complex.

"I don't see anybody but the security patrol. They come by about every hour." Sam turned to offer Amelia the binoculars. When she shook her head no, he added, "Can you sense anything?"

"The place reeks of both leviathan and demon." Amelia still didn't like that Sam and Dean had had to work with demons. But she accepted that they had had no choice, 'lesser of two evils' and all. "But neither is here now."

"How long will you need?" Sam asked her as he headed for the driver's side door to start the drive back down the hill.

"I can feel the barrier is still weak from here. I'll be able to call for Dean as soon as we get there." She knew this was what Sam wanted to hear. "I can't promise he'll hear me, or know how to respond."

"We still try though?"

"Of course." She didn't want to mislead him. There was really very little chance she could find Dean quickly enough. Amelia had told Sam there was a risk that if they spent too long peering through the weakened spot something else would take notice and try to force its way out. "Give me a minute; I'm going to call for some assistance."

Sam watched as she stepped away from the car, turned her face up to the sky and raised her arms. Within a few seconds several nighthawks had perched on her outstretched arms. Sam stared as she smiled and nodded her head at her new _assistants. _After a minute small flock took off and flew in several directions.

Amelia turned back to see Sam smiling at her. He pointed in the direction one of the birds had flown off to. "Assistants?" He asked.

"They have agreed to be our lookouts while we're in the building." Sam huffed out a 'huh' as they climbed into the car.

It only took five minutes to wind their way back down the hill and into the industrial park, and what had been the entrance to the building. Sam checked his watch; they should have about 35 minutes before the security guard came around again. "Do you need to be at the exact spot where Dean killed the Leviathan?"

"Maybe, but I don't think so. The crack was very large; I can feel it is near." Amelia was slowly walking toward the building with an out-stretched hand.

Sam ran to get in front of her to cut the Crime Scene seal and open the door as she approached the damaged building. They stepped into the building and Amelia gasped. "The stench of leviathan is overwhelming here."

The interior of the building was surprisingly uncluttered. Sam guessed between bomb and arson investigators most of the debris had been removed to analyze for clues. He also took a small bit of pride his explosives had done such a thorough job; the building was basically an empty shell. Amelia wad headed directly toward where the lab had been and came to a stop after going around a retaining wall that had survived the blasts. Sam stood beside her and looked at the large crater in the foundation where they had killed Dick Roman.

Amelia sank to her knees at the edge of the hole and started twirling her hand. A small whirlwind formed picking up dust off the floor creating a fast moving dust devil. She held out her hand like she was beckoning the whirlwind, it swayed toward her and she grabbed the column of spinning air and dust just as it touched down at center of the crater. Amelia chanted quietly in a language Sam didn't recognize and a tiny shard of light pierced the darkness. Amelia opened her eyes then and turned to Sam. "Call for Dean, it will be more powerful coming from you, a voice he'll recognize."

" Sam!" Amelia shouted when he had just stared at the swirling air. "Hurry, call to Dean!" He turned away from whirlpool, now filled with little sparks of light spinning around the rapidly moving air.

Sam went down on his knees next to Amelia and screamed like his life was on the line. "Dean! Dean! If you can hear me, we're going to get you out! Dean, I'm..." He was cut off as the vortex of air and dirt burst apart when Amelia slammed her hand down on the floor. He roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her small frame. "Why did you stop!"

Amelia let Sam shake her, knowing he was frustrated and disappointed. She had probably given him too much hope that they would reach his brother this way. He shook her few times and then just stared at her with a sad, pleading look she had only seen on puppy dogs before. His hands fell from her shoulders and she reached out and took him into her arms for the strongest hug she could make around his large frame. He dropped his head onto her shoulder and let out a long sigh. "Sam, we knew we might not hear from Dean this way. But, I think he probably heard you. I know I could feel his presence." She patted and rubbed his back, trying to comfort him. It had been a long time since she had been able to comfort a distressed child, even if this one was over six foot tall.

Sam took a deep breath, lifted his head, gave Amelia a small smile and started to stand up. "I'm sorry for grabbing you." He held out his hand to help her stand up and she smiled back and took his hand. "I'd be a mass of bloody goo on the floor if I'd done that to any of the other gods we've come across." He added, subtlety adding to his apology and hoping she had a sense of humor.

"Don't give me any ideas." She responded in a very stern tone, as she bent down to brush the dust off her knees. When she finished and looked up at Sam she had a large grin on her face. "What, it was a joke." She added when she saw the look of dread on his face.

Sam's phone started beeping. He had set it the timer to warn them when they needed to leave to avoid the security guard. They quickly made their way back to the entrance. As soon as Amelia stepped out of the building, three of her feathered lookouts stated flapping their wings and screeching at her. She smiled and nodded at the birds and they flew off into the night.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked as they headed for the car.

"They were upset. The vortex I used to peek through the barrier made a very uncomfortable noise." Amelia had the same sad look she had when he had awoken after Bobby's. "I apologized and explained it wasn't intentional. They did say no one had come around while we were inside but that several large vehicles were coming this way."

"Well, we better get going then." As they reached the doors, Sam added. "You want to drive Tony Stewart?

Amelia turned a befuddled look at him. His face broke out with a huge grin forming the cutest dimples she had seen in several centuries. "No, I'm sure you'll be much better at evading the approaching cars."

Sam's smile spread across his whole face and he shook his head as he climbed behind the steering wheel. As soon as she shut her door he hit the gas and they were off.

"Will this Tony person be able to help us in our quest to get Dean?"

Sam was still chuckling as they cleared the Omaha city limits. "So, where to next?"


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Notes: This chapter is kind of short, and the story took a weird turn I hadn't planned on.

I also noticed I probably got the rating wrong. There isn't supposed to be any deaths and Amelia has already killed a few demons. So, I'm changing the rating to a T.

And I continue to be delighted with those who read the story and take time to review and follow. Thanks.

Chapter 7

Sam drove the rest of the night. Amelia said they should keep going south, and they just needed to find someplace safe, she wanted to tell him how they were going to get Dean out of Purgatory. So, Sam followed the Missouri River, keeping them off the interstate. By the time the sun was starting to rise they were approaching Kansas City. It had been more than 24 hours since he woke up in the Impala and he had no idea how long Amelia had been awake. He had often driven longer and his body was used to being pushed beyond its limits but this morning he was exhausted. Sam wasn't sure if Amelia even needed to sleep, but he did. "Are you tired? Should we find someplace to crash for a few hours?"

She seemed lost in a deep thought or like when she was communicating with things he couldn't see. He didn't know if he should interrupt her, so he just watched her out of the corner of his eye and kept driving.

"Is one of those places you mentioned near-by?" Amelia asked quietly.

He was so tired he hadn't even thought about where they were. Lawrence was only about 50 miles to the west of here. He really didn't want to think about going back there, but he knew he there was no point in lying to someone who could read his thoughts. "Lawrence, Kansas isn't far." He paused before adding, "It's where I was born, and jumped into Lucifer's cage."

"I'm sorry Sam. I can feel how hard this is for you, but we will need to go there." She could feel his dread starting to rise. "But we should get some rest first. And, yes, I need to sleep." She couldn't remember if he had asked that out loud or just in his thoughts.

Sam was so shaken about having to go back to Lawrence he couldn't remember if he had asked her about sleeping or if she had read his mind again. He really didn't care at this point. He found a decent looking motel on the outskirts of the city. As he got out of the car to get them a room, Amelia climbed out of the passenger side. He suddenly thought about how this was going to work and turned to Amelia. "Do you want separate rooms?"

"I think we should stay together. It will be safer and we need to talk." She responded as they made their way to the office.

"Two queens." Sam responded when the clerk had asked him what he needed. He got the same familiar stare of disbelief he and Dean got when people assumed they were gay. He assumed this time they must have thought he and Amelia were lovers. As Sam signed the register and put down the cash it dawned on him it was a reasonable assumption. He hadn't thought about it before but Amelia was kind of cute. Of course, even though she looked like a twenty-something woman, she was apparently _older than dirt. _He snorted to himself at that thought as he grabbed the room keys and turned to find Amelia glaring at him. 'Crap. He really needed to remember about that mind reading thing'.

They got back in the car and it dawned on Sam they hadn't eaten since mid-day yesterday. "How about we grab something to eat before we crash? She nodded her consent and they drove until they found an intersection with two diners. The Biggerson's looked large and clean. Their sign for the pie bar made him think of Dean, and Levi food additive. They headed for the smaller, Mom and Pop place across the street. Sam held the door open, not sure how pissed she was at him for the 'old as dirt' thing. He asked for a booth towards the back, as was their custom, so he could watch for any trouble. He sat facing the door and Amelia slid in across from him. The waitress brought them water, handed them the menus, asked if they wanted coffee. Sam looked at Amelia and she shook her head and he told the waitress no. She told them the specials and left them alone. Amelia glanced at her menu and then looked up at Sam.

"Crash?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. It means to sleep, usually for a short time after being up a long time and really tired."

"I see. I thought maybe it was a new expression for intercourse." She said matter-of-factly. Sam spit out the water he had just sipped.

"What? No. No. No." He choked out between coughs.

A twinkle lit up her eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked with a teasing lilt in her voice.

He looked at her with a confused look on his face.

"That's what you get for thinking I'm older than dirt!" Amelia was outright laughing at him now. "The dirt was already here, thank you very much."

As Sam regained his composure he thought Dean would like this woman, or whatever she was, and her sense of humor.

They ordered their breakfasts and ate while she was still occasionally giggling, and he tried very hard not to think of anything.

After eating they drove back to the motel and their room at the back, hard to see from the road. Sam got the duffel bags out of the trunk. Amelia had taken one of the keys and already had the door open. Seeing her standing just inside the room looking around at the furnishings he realized she had no belongings, not even a change of clothes.

"Would you like to shower and use a clean T-shirt to sleep in?" Sam offered.

"Washing off the last couple of days sounds very nice. The shirt won't be necessary, but thank you." And she headed off to the bathroom. Sam threw his bags on the bed nearest the door, taking Dean's usual position of first-line-of-defense. He heard the water come on and thought about what 'won't be necessary' meant. She was Mother Nature after all. He really hoped it didn't mean she wouldn't be coming out of the bathroom naked.

Even under the running water she could hear Sam's thoughts about how she would exit the bathroom. She wasn't sure why she enjoyed teasing him. It really wasn't like her. Maybe, because he was like Zeus, one of her consorts when she had been known as Demeter. He was tall and beautiful, strong and brave, and kind and caring all at the same time. Remembering how much she had loved the Greek deity suddenly made her warm all over. 'Well, enough of that', she thought to herself. She was here to help save Sam's brother and the planet, not find romance again.

She got out of the shower, swished the clothes she had put to soak in the sink a couple of times, rung them out and then gave them a quick blow dry. She put her clean clothes back on and stepped out of the bathroom. Sam was laying down salt in front of the door and she could see he had already done the windows. He turned around to face her. She wasn't sure if he looked relieved or disappointed. She chuckled to herself and made a point of not reading his thoughts.

He didn't know how she had laundered her clothes so quickly, but figured it was no big deal for a goddess. He also didn't know if he was glad she wasn't naked and hoped she wasn't reading his thoughts right now. "I'll take the bed near the door, you can have that one." He said as he pointed to the other bed. She nodded and started turning down the sheets. As he walked past her to the bathroom he could swear she smelled of wildflowers. As he closed the door he noticed there were no shampoo bottles in the shower. 'Well, of course, she'd smell like wildflowers….'

Sam showered quickly and put on his sleeping stuff. When he stepped back into the room he saw Amelia looked like she was already asleep, and that her clothes were laid across the foot of her bed. He also noticed the whole room now had a soft bouquet of wildflowers after a summer storm. 'Shit, where did that come from'. He grabbed the salt and went back to line the bathroom window.

He climbed into his bed, turned to check on the naked goddess sleeping in the next bed, or at least hoped she was asleep and not reading the thoughts currently in his mind. He turned back the other way doubting he could fall asleep after that but was out within minutes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

When Sam woke the sun was still high in the summer sky but he could tell it was well past noon. He turned to Amelia's bed and saw she was not there. He jumped out of bed and found she wasn't in the bathroom or small kitchenette. He frantically put on his clothes and was heading toward the door when it opened. He had his gun half drawn when Amelia stepped in. Her arms were loaded with two bags of groceries. She saw the distressed look on his face. "I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Where the hell did you go?" His voice was raised but he wasn't sure if he was angry or scared.

"I went to get food to make us something to eat." She said as she walked past him into the kitchen area. After she set the bags down she turned back to Sam. "Now, about that tone of voice." She added soundly extremely mother-ish, mad mother at that. "I've let you take some liberties since we met, but make no mistake, I DO NOT like being addressed like I am some misbehaving child. You forget, I am the elder here."

With that she turned back to the kitchen and added, "I hope you like salads. There was a delightful market just down the street." Her voice was now light and friendly, all mistakes forgotten. "Come help me unpack and clean vegetables." See added.

Sam couldn't decide if he was still upset after finding her gone, scared at her stern warning or confused at how quickly she forgave him. But he was hungry and did like fresh salads. He started pulling food out of the other bag and found a six-pack of cold beer at the bottom of the bag. He and Dean had determined it was safe to drink beer after they had discovered the Levi additive didn't survive the fermenting process. It had been one of the few bright spots Dean had had in the last few days before Omaha. He lifted up the carrier and turned a questioning gaze to her. "You drink beer?"

"Not often. I just thought it would go well with this." As she was talking she pulled a roasted chicken out of the bottom of her bag. He wasn't sure about the chicken, even though it had been weeks since the Leviathans had been able to add their additive to animal feed. She saw him looking at the chicken with concern and pointed to the 'free range, no artificial additives or antibiotics'. "It also helps I could sense if there was anything wrong with the food." Fresh salad, nothing deep fried and cold beer, he wondered if she had read his mind again.

Amelia smiled at his thoughts but said nothing. She put together a huge salad and set the chicken out on the table. As they sat down to eat, Sam wondered how, or if, she had paid for all the groceries. He hoped she hadn't used her 'powers' in such a public place. They were trying to stay under the radar.

"Ask me." She said, staring intently at Sam. "Sam, you need to talk to me when you have questions." When he just stared back at her, she added. "If you ask your questions and share your thoughts, I wouldn't read your thoughts." She smiled warmly at him and added, "Amelia Stone had money in her pocket when I arrived."

He hadn't wanted to think about the real Amelia, the poor girl being possessed by the goddess. But he took Mother Nature at her word and asked. "So, you are possessing Amelia Stone? Or she's a vessel, like for Angels?'

"A bit of both, really. And thank you for trusting me enough to ask." Her smile seemed genuine as she added, "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Harder than being the Devil's true vessel on earth?" He asked.

She had forgotten she was talking to one of the few human beings with personal experiences that might be close to Amelia Stone's. "Your right, of course. And it's almost the same. Except Amelia was hoping she might be my _vessel _some day. Her mother's family has been raising young women to be ready for my coming for generations. There is at least one family doing the same on each continent."

Sam took in the information, glad that at least this girl knew what she was getting into. But if all these families spent their lives preparing for her possible coming he wondered, "So what was all the angst yesterday morning about not being remembered? It sounds like a lot of people remember you."

"Yes, I'm truly thankful for the devotion of all the families. But you must remember, I used to be worshipped by throngs." She paused and then added. "Maybe I'm not so different from the descendents of mine you've dealt with, vain and missing the _good old days_"

An uneasy quiet settled on them. She had been honest with him, or at least it felt like the truth. Sam decided it was time to try to lift her spirits. "Listen, so far, you're not anything like the other gods Dean and I have met." When she didn't look at him, he went on. "Look, don't beat yourself up over longing for _the way things used to be_. Been there, done that."

She finally looked at him, with a very confused look on her face. "It's an expression. It means I understand what you're going through." She nodded her head and remembered seeing a great many lost opportunities and regrets in his memories.

They shared a sad smile. She took a deep breath and picked up her fork. "Let's eat then, shall we?"

They both realized they were very hungry and dug into their meals. After they had finished their meal, Amelia started to pick up the dishes. Sam stopped her. "You made dinner, let me clean up." She stood with a surprised look on her face. "Welcome to the 21st century, mom." Now it was Sam's turn to tease Amelia.

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"What do you mean the places aren't important?" Sam was frustrated. "I thought we were looking for a place to get Dean out?"

After dinner, they had sat at the table and Amelia had asked about all the places that had earthquakes the night she had arrived and the leviathan killed. He had gotten out his laptop and showed her all the locations. She had him tell her what he knew about each spot. The time loop Gabriel had opened in Florida. The four places Purgatory had been opened, Omaha, Providence, Portland and Bootbock twice. He didn't know what barrier Lucifer had brought Death through, but Carthage also had an earthquake that night. And the three places he knew Hell had been breached, the Devil's Gate in Wyoming and where they had used the Horsemen's rings to open Lucifer's cage, Detroit and Lawrence.

She had listened intently and occasionally asked for more details. "Those places are not where we will find Dean. But their seals might still be weak." She paused and pointed to the notes Sam had made during his month of searching for information. "But nothing unusual has been seen, correct?" She paused again and he nodded. "Are your fellow hunters watching the locations?

"My fellow hunters?" He asked. "I don't know how hunters worked in the past, but we don't exactly have a central command or anything. And the few 'fellow hunters' I do know are pretty busy hunting down leviathans."

"Well, I don't think it will matter. The barriers are weak but it would still take a lot to break through them." She looked unsure if what she just said was true. "Just in case, is there any way you could spread the word to keep an eye on them until we repair the barriers?"

"What? We have to repair all those barriers? Is that how we get Dean back?" Sam couldn't say he didn't care about sealing all the weakened barriers, since they had apparently caused the weaknesses when they killed Roman. But all he really cared about was getting his brother back.

"No. The barriers will repair themselves when we get Dean and his friend out of Purgatory."

"What?" He was having an increasingly difficult time following her declarations. "First, what do you mean 'they'll repair themselves and second, what has Cas got to do with this?" He had told Amelia all about Cas. He had also told her he wanted Dean back no matter what, even if it meant the Angel was left behind.

"Sam, the barriers are weak because of Dean and Castiel. They don't belong there." She tried to think of a way to explain it to him. 'The seals, or barriers, are like zippers that can't fully close because threads are caught in them. Dean and Cas are those threads. When we remove them, the zipper will function normally."

That actually made sense to him in a weird way. "Okay. I get the idea. That explains why the barriers to Purgatory are weak, but what does that have to do with time loops and the seals to Hell?"

She knew Sam was an intelligent man, and a Hunter; but multiple plains of existence occupying the same physical space was difficult to explain to three dimensional, linear-thinking humans. But if there was anyone who would be able to grasp this, it would be him. "Sam, it is very hard to explain. You're probably the only human being who can understand this fully, at least partially from your personal experiences." She paused to see if he was following her. "You've been through an alteration in linear time, the time loop the angel created." Sam nodded.

"But only you were experiencing those days. You were in a, I believe the phrase commonly used is, a parallel plain of existence." He nodded again, so she continued. "All the other plains of existence are always moving, shifting and crossing into the others." He didn't nod his head this time but she went on anyway. "I can use a weak barrier to one plain of existence to reach another."

He was pretty sure he was following her explanations. As much as he wanted Dean back he knew they couldn't risk opening any barriers, portals or friggin' zippers to Lucifer's cage. "There's no way we can risk letting Michael and Lucifer out of the cage."

"No, of course not."

"But if it's not about finding the right place, if you can reach through any portal to bring Dean out, why do we need to go to Lawrence?"

"There are two reasons. I want to try and contact Dean again, so you can tell him we're coming for him."

"Again, why Lawrence?"

" Lawrence is the weak barrier most personal to you and Dean. It's where you both were born, your mother died and you sacrificed yourself to save your brother and the planet. And where he was willing to sacrifice himself to be with you." She paused to let her words sink in before adding, "He won't know why but he will feel pulled to the area."

"Why am I sensing there is more to this that finding the best place to contact Dean?" He slumped back in his chair, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Sam, we have the key." She said as she touched Dean's amulet. "When it's prepared, it will pull Dean home."

And there it was, the other shoe. "And it is prepared how?"

Amelia reached for the string hanging around her neck and removed the necklace. "Well, to start with, you should wear it." She said as she held the necklace open and reached for Sam.

"I thought you were using it. You know, to focus your power, or something?" She gave Sam a questioning look. "I saw you grab it back at Bobby's when you killed the demons."

"Yes, I probably did.' Amelia looked down at the talisman hanging in front of her. "But that had nothing to do with what I did, or how I did it. It was strictly for my comfort. I think you would call it moral support?"

Sam stared at the amulet. He had worn it while Dean was in Hell but that had been a long time ago. Dean had quit wearing it when he lost his faith in him. Maybe if he had faith, the amulet could do what he needed it to do. He ducked his head and leaned forward. Amelia easily slipped it over his head and let it fall to his chest. It felt warm; he hoped it was from being around Amelia's neck not whatever had made it glow earlier. He reached up to touch the strange little face he knew so well. He wasn't sure but he could swear it felt like it was vibrating. And there seemed to be a very faint noise, like it was humming, too.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: So, apparently I haven't quite figured this process out yet, or it was late and I was tired. [Both are probably true.] Thanks to those of you who told me I posted the same chapter twice. I've removed the repeat and here's a (real) new chapter.

Chapter 9

"Do you just want to know what we need to do, or do you want to hear the explanation, too?" Amelia's words broke through the spell the amulet had cast on Sam. It was like having a tiny, purring kitten hanging on his chest.

"Huh?" He let go of the amulet and gave her his attention. "Do I want to know 'the why'? How bad is it going to be?"

She gave him a look that Dean would call his bitch-face. "What do you really know about Purgatory?"

"After all these months of research, probably too much." Sam pointed to his stacks of papers spread out on the table. "There's the Catholic doctrine, Dante's version and the one where the creatures we kill have gone."

"It's confusing, I know. To some extent, all three of those are correct. It is the place where…. I shall call them _supernatural beings_, permanently go after death. For humans, it's different. When a human dies, their souls can go to Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. Heaven and Hell are final, either as a reward or punishment." Amelia paused to take a drink of the beer she was still working on since dinner.

"Well, that's not completely true." Sam felt the need to clarify her statement, not really knowing why. It just reminded him how screwed up their lives, and deaths, have been. "Dean and I were both brought back from Heaven and Hell. And our grandfather was brought back from Heaven."

"Yes well, but without heavenly or demonic interference, Heaven and Hell are usually final destinations." Sam just shrugged his shoulders as a way of conceding the point.

"But for some souls the lines are blurred. There are those souls that are given a second chance to find themselves according to Dante, and God's cleansing love according to the Church." She paused to see if Sam wanted to add anything again. He just shrugged his shoulders again.

"The issue here is that Dean, and Castiel, were neither creatures nor dead and therefore not _souls. _There is no way for them to purify themselves or climb the seven levels to move out of Purgatory. And it's this anomaly, of un-dead beings, being in a place for the dead that's keeping the barriers from resealing themselves."

"How does knowing any of this help us get Dean out of there?" Sam knew she was avoiding telling him something and wanted to know what he had to do to save his brother.

"_A key_," she pointed to the amulet, "_shall open a door for him that seven people have shown their purified love for, via the talisman_." Amelia intoned as if from memory.

"Huh? And exactly how do we get seven people show their purified love of Dean?' Sam knew there were probably more than seventy women who had shown Dean their love over the years. The problem was knowing who and where they were.

"It will not be just women Dean has had intercourse with." Amelia had seen the images flash in Sam's mind of a great many young women sharing their bodies with Dean.

It was Sam's turn to use a bitch-face on Amelia. "I'm sorry, you had so many vivid memories of Dean and women I couldn't block the images out." They stared at each other for a few seconds and then both shrugged their shoulders. "I am more eager than ever to meet this brother of yours." Amelia added, with a faint smile and a hint of blush.

Sam wasn't quite sure what she meant by that. Her face had the look that most women had when they met Dean in bars, something between awe like when seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time and a hungry animal and he was fresh meat. Amelia had seen all of Sam's memories of his brother's sexual partners. She'd also seen the memories of the women Sam had had sex with as well. It was probably just as well that Sam had thought the whisper of lust that slipped into her voice was for Dean. The truth would just complicate the working relationship she was building with Sam.

She cleared her throat and got back on topic. "The love need not be romantic or sexual. Just seven people who know Dean for who and what he truly is, have not been tainted by their experiences and love him for what he's done for them. I'm thinking people he has saved over the years. There must be many more than seven?"

"Yeah. I'm sure I can come up with dozens of names." His mind was already racing, thinking of all the cases they'd worked over the years. His confidence waivered when the faces of those they couldn't save started crossing his mind. Still, there were enough. "Finding them may not be as easy. Some will have moved, changed their names, passed on. And some won't want to remember the things Dean and I did for them." He was already getting out a note pad to jot down names. Amelia got up from the table to let Sam start making his list.

Sam's logical mind tried to remember all the names and places in the order he and Dean had encountered them. He changed his mind quickly. It had been over seven years since he had left Stanford with Dean and there had been so many faces and names. He decided to go backward from their latest cases. There was the son of the shop owner with the cursed objects, but they had told him to disappear. He hadn't been sleeping then because of Lucifer, so he couldn't really remember his name anyway. There was Jenny, the secretary of Don Stark, the witch whose wife had almost killed the young woman, but they had told her to leave town, too. Krissy and Lee Chambers might be a good pair. Even though Lee was going to give up hunting, Sam was sure they would help.

Thinking of the hunter and his daughter made him remember what Amelia had said about keeping an eye on the weakened portal barriers. He made a note to himself to call Garth or Mackey in the morning and see if he could organize some sort of team to watch the various locations.

The psychic, Melanie Goldman, and Dean had kind of hit it off when they were in New York. If anyone knew Dean for 'who and what he truly was', it would be her. She said she travelled a lot, but she owned a house in Lily Dale so she shouldn't be hard to track down. He started a new list of the most likely candidates, with Melanie and the Chambers at the top of the list. He wondered if Cassie Robinson was still living in her home town. Even though Dean hadn't seen her since they left there, he knew she would help. He wished he could put Lisa and Ben on the list. But since Dean had Cas erase their memories of him, they wouldn't remember who, much less what, Dean truly was.

Amelia had lain down while Sam was working. She knew she couldn't help Sam with searching his memories for appropriate people; well, she could but knew Sam needed to do this. She would help him later by choosing those with the purest hearts. It wasn't just that Dean had saved them, they needed to be untainted by the evil to which they had been exposed. She tried to stay out of his thoughts but his mind was screaming, trying to remember. She could already tell there a few people on Sam's list that they would not be able to use.

She debated on telling him how these people would show the _pure love_ the key required. Amelia had deliberately left out that passage when she had recited the incantation. Sam would probably be angry with her for not disclosing the sacrifice they would need to ask of these people. She had also hadn't pointed out the most obvious person for the list, Sam. Who knew Dean better than Sam. And she knew, if they were anything like other hunters she had known, they had saved each other's lives numerous times. Amelia was sure Sam would argue he was tainted, that he had seen and done too many things to be pure enough to help Dean. She would help him see that there was no purer love than the love of a brother willing to sacrifice all to save him and six billion others.

Sam had been wracking his brain, working on the list for hours and it was now after midnight. He needed to get some rest, tomorrow would be another exhausting day for the both of them. Amelia sat up on the edge of her bed. "Sam, you should get some rest."

"Not yet. I think I've got a pretty good list of possibilities, I thought I'd start trying to find them." He had put his pencil down and was reaching for his computer. "Maybe I should try to find Charlie again. Not only would she be a good candidate, she's a genius and can find anybody."

"There is another in Lawrence who can help us find the people on your list." Sam had lots of names, or at least partial names, on the list. Most had a city, some only a state, next to them. He had also listed the type of problem they had _taken care of_ for the person. He looked up from the table with a questioning look. "I saw her in one of your memories."

Sam thought she had seen Frank, or maybe Ash, but the look in her eyes told him to try again. "Missouri? You're talking about Missouri Mosley, the psychic?"

"Yes, that's her. She is the second reason for going to Lawrence. She will be able to sense more of the details on the people you are remembering." Sam knew she Missouri was able to read thoughts and feelings better than anyone he had ever met. What were the chances she'd still be in the same place? He hadn't seen her for over six years.

"She is expecting us in the morning. You need to sleep now." Sam thought he should be stunned, or maybe amazed. There had just been so much to take in. He was used to getting bombarded with the unusual and unexpected. It was part of his job. Half of everything Amelia had said tonight would have put 'civilians' into shock. He hated the thought of leaving a job half done, but he also knew she was right. Meeting with Missouri and starting the long process of locating the people to help save Dean would require him to be sharp.

He closed the laptop, stacked his list on the top of his other papers and turned out the light over the table. He checked and refreshed the salt lines, kicked off his shoes and laid down on his bed. Amelia was right; he was tired despite getting five hours of sleep earlier in the day. He was quickly drifting to sleep when he felt her lay a blanket over him, kiss him on the forehead and then turn out the bedside light. He felt all the tension drain out of his body. Sam heard her slip out her clothes and slide between the sheets. Somehow this time, instead of thinking of her as a naked goddess sleeping in the next bed; he felt like he had just had the best _tucking in_ of his life.

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Author's Note: I have my list of people to help Dean pretty much picked out. But unlike the Word of God tablet, it's not written in stone yet. I would entertain suggestions and why you think they should be chosen.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

Sam woke feeling rested, really rested. He felt like he knew what people meant when they said they woke feeling restored. There hadn't been many times in his life he had slept so perfectly. Even in California with Jess, before the nightmares, he had been constantly stressed about school and grades. He lazily rolled over to find Amelia's bed empty again, but her clothes were still draped across the foot of the bed. That's when he noticed the water running in the shower. He debated getting up and out of the room so she could dress with some privacy. He also thought about pretending he was asleep and waiting to watch her come out of the bathroom.

'No, No, No, that is just so wrong' he thought to himself and sprang off the bed and was putting on his shoes as he heard the water turn off. "I'm going to grab us some breakfast." He yelled at the bathroom door and ran out of the motel room. Amelia stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, smiling to herself. She could smell the pheromones Sam had left hanging the room. She could also feel her, well Amelia's, body viscerally respond to the hormonal signals Sam had excreted. But now was not the time for either the ancient goddess or the young woman to be thinking that way about the handsome man that had just run out of the room.

Amelia didn't bother to re-launder her clothes when she remembered she hadn't been very active in them yesterday. She dressed and then borrowed Sam's hair brush and smoothed her hair. As she finished she decided that had been a mistake because now her hair would smell so wonderfully like Sam all day. She shook her head to get rid of those thoughts. She was straightening their beds when Sam came back with some fresh fruit and a couple cups of coffee.

"I think you should do the hunting and gathering from now on. I didn't want to get anything that might have Levi additive. You could use your _Spidey_ senses and maybe we could have a doughnut or something." Sam said as he handed her an apple and a coffee.

"I can communicate with arachnids but I don't think they would be able to determine if there are unsafe substances in food." She replied completely straight-faced. She sat the cup of coffee on the table. "I'm sorry. I never acquired a taste for coffee."

Sam smiled at her ignorance of pop culture; wondering if he should explain the Spiderman joke. When he saw a look of enlightenment cross her face, he figured he probably just had because she had read his mind. "You've really got to stop doing that." He said with mock frustration.

"When is Missouri expecting us?" Sam went back to work mode.

"She just knows you are coming today. She will be waiting for you."

Sam noticed she had used the singular in both statements. "She isn't expecting you?"

"She senses you are not alone but doesn't know who I am." Amelia slightly furrowed her brow. "She's actually quite frustrated that she can't sense who I am."

Amelia saw as Sam remembered his first encounter with Missouri, and that he was pretty sure she would not be shy in expressing her _frustration_ when they met. One of Amelia's powers was her ability to hide or shield her true identity from those who could usually see beyond the physical being. It was why the demon at Bobby's had not known who she was. She had considered lowering that shield to allow Missouri to see her true self, but had decided to wait until they met in person.

After Sam ate the last bite of his apple, he noticed Amelia had already packed up all his papers and laptop. He turned to pack up the few personal things he had taken out his duffel. They were on the road heading west to Lawrence in less than 20 minutes.

Amelia sat very quietly debating how and when to tell Sam the rest of the incantation, and what the seven would need to do. She knew it would not be wise to do it while he was driving because she knew he would be upset. But she also doubted she could hide it from the psychic. This Missouri woman would be able to hear the parts she was leaving out when she repeated the words she had told to Sam last night.

She decided she had to tell Sam everything the talisman had told her about opening a door to bring Dean and the angel back. She had told him to talk to her, she needed to the same. "Sam. We need to stop and talk before we get to Missouri's."

Sam had sensed something was troubling Amelia. They were already on the outskirts of Lawrence. He quickly found a spot to get off the road and brought the car to a stop. She was still looking straight ahead when he turned off the ignition and turned to face her. "Is this about whatever you didn't tell me last night?"

Amelia had forgotten that even though Sam was not psychic, he was very practiced at picking up subtle body language. Reading others was a survival skill all hunters developed. "You knew there was more?" She asked.

"I wasn't sure until just now." Sam replied, amazed she had fallen for one of the oldest interrogation techniques in the book.

Amelia didn't detect any anger in his voice. She saw the smug little grin on his face but resisted reading his thoughts. "It's about what the seven chosen ones must do to show their love of Dean." She paused, waiting for him to get angry, or at least ask questions. He just stared and waited for her to continue. "They must share part of themselves as the way to show their purified love. Well, and of course, they must go through a purification ritual."

Sam groaned; decades of hunting had shown him how bad such rituals could be. He wasn't really angry at her for not sharing the details with him last night, for some reason he trusted her judgment to wait. Then it dawned on him. She wouldn't be able to hide this from Missouri, so she had to tell him. Okay, now he was angry. "Let's have it. All of it this time."

Amelia was struggling yet again on how to start. "I'm sorry I wasn't completely forth-coming last night." She hoped she hadn't destroyed the relationship they had been building. "Long story or short?"

"Everything!"

"As I said, there needs to be seven people to show their love for Dean." He nodded but didn't say anything. "Do you know the importance of the number seven throughout history and in mythology?"

"Of course. Seven deadly sins, seventh son of a seventh son, seven wonders of the ancient world, seven days in the week, God resting on the seventh day." Sam paused in his recitation, then continued. " Oh geez, don't tell me Dante was right, there really are seven levels in Purgatory?"

"Well, no, not exactly. But the number seven is almost universally believed to be a symbol of perfection, completeness, ascension and reintegration." She stopped to allow him to ask questions. He twirled his finger to indicate she should continue. "The full instructions for using the talisman as a key are_; A key shall open the door for him that seven people have shown their purified love by sharing all seven of life's fluids via the key._" This time she stopped to allow Sam to absorb the meaning of what she had said.

But something in what she had said had caused wave after wave of bizarre, violent, graphic images and memories of the horrible things he had seen over his years of hunting to flood his mind. She tried not to look into his thoughts but his mind was screaming at him and her. "No, no, no. Nothing like that!" She reached out to touch his arm as she tried to calm his raging thoughts. "Sam! As much as I want to help you, and Dean; I would never be a part of something like that." It was her turn to be angry. "How can you think I would participate in anything so barbaric?"

He didn't respond because he was hyperventilating by now. Cas may have taken away the madness caused by his memories of the cage, but Sam still had most of those memories. Between his nightmarish memories of hell and hunting, the years of visions and a year of being soulless he was rapidly approaching a full blown panic attack. Amelia knew there were no words she could say to bring him out of the place his mind had gone to; so she grabbed both sides of his face and pulled him into a hard kiss. She just held him there, breathing slowly and deeply, forcing him to breathe through his nose. Eventually, his breathing fell into pattern with hers and she could feel his heart rate slow down.

After three minutes, she could feel him regain control of his thoughts and emotions. Amelia loosened her grip on his face and pulled away from him. Tears were now streaming from his eyes, but the panic and fear were gone. She used her thumbs to wipe at his tears and reached up to kiss his forehead. He laid his head on her shoulder, took a shuddering breath and wrapped his arms around her. She removed her arms from his face and wrapped them as tightly as she could around his huge but trembling shoulders.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

"I'm sorry." Sam's breathing was nearly back to normal and he was using his sleeve to dry the tears from his face.

Amelia wanted to tell him no apology was necessary but knew he needed to say it, so she didn't say anything. She reached up and helped dry the last of the tears. She saw his thoughts drifting away from the nightmares of a few minutes ago, to memories of his brother comforting Sam as a little boy. She also saw later memories of Dean teasing Sam for 'being such a girl'. She wanted to tell him it was okay to cry, but didn't want to infringe on a past that Sam obviously cherished. She did, however, make a mental note to give Dean a piece of her mind after they got him back.

"Are you ready for me to tell you what the incantation means?" She asked as they both moved back to their own places on the bench seat of the car. He nodded.

"Okay. Well first off, you need to remember the ancient ones who….. created the talisman didn't have the same understanding of how the human body works as now." She paused to make sure he was staying calm and following her. "They had no idea of the intricate, inter-dependent functioning of the organs, and especially no idea the brain was the control center of those activites."

Sam remembered enough ancient Egyptian history to know that was why they didn't save the brain when they mummified the dead. "To the Egyptians the heart was considered the regulator of everything. They'd save it, and the lungs, the stomach and intestines in canopic jars."

"Yes, exactly. Well, the Sumerians who molded the amulet decided there were seven vital fluids that controlled the body. And that if someone could get all seven fluids to be shared with him, he would be able to open anything, even other dimensions. The key only needs a few drops of each fluid. They wanted our little friend here", Amelia paused and reached out and took the amulet in her hand and stroked it with her thumb, "to be a savior. They would never have asked someone to die by giving all of their vital fluids."

"Okay. If no one needs to die to provide fluids, why were you afraid to tell me about this?" He paused briefly. "Is it the purification?"

"The purification is simply an ablution in running water."

"They take a shower?" Sam could tell there was still something she was avoiding telling him.

"Well, back then, it was to be a bath in a river or stream. But that might work."

He used the finger roll again. "Come on, nothing you've said so far should be a reason not to tell me everything last night."

'It's which seven fluids are required." He raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders in question.

"It's been my experience; most people are reluctant to discuss some of these bodily functions."

"Oh, for god's sake. Just spit it out."

"Exactly!" She almost shouted.

"What?'

"Spit. Spit is one of the fluids. It represents the lungs and breathing." She stated with a tone of satisfaction and a smile on her face.

"Are you telling me, we have to get seven people to spit on Dean's amulet?"

Her smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. "No. No, no, no." She was shaking her head now, frustration clearly showing. "Seven people have to share seven different fluids."

"Why do I feel like we're finally getting to the reason for your stalling?" Sam sighed as he asked.

"They are all part of the natural, biologic function of the human body. For some reason, you humans have made performing the release of most of these fluids in front of others taboo." Amelia sounded a little bit defensive.

"We've come this far, let's get this over with. Okay, spit. What are the other six?"

"Blood to represent the heart, even the ancients knew it was the pump for this vital fluid." She held up a finger. "Bile because it's involved in the digestion of food in the stomach and bowels." Another finger. "Urine, even though they didn't know of the kidney's function; they knew urine carried wastes out of the body." She started raising another finger but Sam grabbed her hand. "Tears because eyes were thought to be the windows to the inner truths, or later the soul. " She stopped and looked at Sam stoically.

"And the last two?" He asked letting go of her hand.

"The fluids representing reproduction, one from each of the sexes, semen and breast milk."

Sam just stared. He finally understood why she had been reluctant to tell him about this before. While he was processing all the information, it occurred to him he'd be the one wearing the amulet around his neck covered with the various fluids. That's when he started turning a shade of green similar to Dean's eyes. He got the door of the car open just in time to not puke all over the car's interior. It really wouldn't do for him to get Dean back just to be killed because he tossed his cookies in the Impala.

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Sam asked Amelia to drive the remainder of the way to Missouri's. He said he wanted to try calling her before they drove up to her place. Amelia was pretty sure he was also having a hard time concentrating after she finally revealed what the talisman had told her. There was more he should know, but she had left out the last few details about the talisman for now. They weren't really relevant to the plan to get Dean back and Sam had enough to comprehend for one day.

He found the psychic's number had changed from the one she had given them years ago, so Sam had Amelia stop at a convenience store so he could use a phone book and fill up the car. He knew she had said Missouri was expecting them but he decided to give her a call and make sure now was a good time. Sam got her voicemail and left a message, thinking she was probably with a client. Amelia had volunteered to fill up the car and she was still holding the gas nozzle to the old Chevy when he got off the phone. He went into the store to pay for the gas and grab a couple bottles of water, and noticed they had small bouquets of flowers.

Buying something as frivolous as flowers was not something he had ever gotten used to. It had been yet another reason Jess had been so perfect for him; she didn't expect him to waste his precious few extra dollars on things like flowers. He picked out two of the small bunches of flowers; one as an offering to Missouri and one to thank, or maybe apologize to, Amelia. It had been awhile since he had fallen apart like a few minutes ago in the car, and then only in front of Dean. He knew she thought no less of him, but he wanted her to know he appreciated her kindness. At least that's what he was trying to convince himself. It DID NOT have anything to do with her kissing him.

He took the water and flowers and headed out to the car. He noticed Amelia had finished putting the gas nozzle back in place and had closed up the gas door to the Impala. Sam headed to the driver's side of the car. "How about I take over the driving?" He called as he was ducking his head into the window. Only there was no one in the car. He dropped his purchases on the seat and started scanning the area for Amelia. As he rounded the back of the car, he noticed some yellow powder near where Amelia had been standing. He didn't really need to smell the few grains on the ground; he knew sulfur when he saw it. Sam's fear and panic were starting to kick in as he searched the parking lot.

He noticed the security cameras and was heading back into the store, to look at the footage, when he saw bright lights flashing from behind a panel van on the edge of the lot. As the lights were starting to fade, Sam could see under the van as three bodies fell to the ground. He hadn't been carrying his gun but already had the demon-killing knife in his hand. Just as he neared the rear of the van Amelia stepped around the front, brushing off her clothes. She startled slightly at seeing Sam. "I'm fine, Sam"

"What happened?" Sam had tucked the knife back into his jacket and was walking toward her. "Demons?" He asked pointing under the van at the bodies lying on the ground. She didn't have time to respond before Sam noticed the store clerk coming out of the store. Sam didn't know how much had been caught on the cameras or if the guy had seen the flash of light.

"Oh my God. Did you see that? Those guys were struck by lightning. Call 911." Sam yelled at the clerk.

Amelia picked up on what Sam was trying to do, and added some special effects. With her hands behind her back, she snapped her fingers and it sounded just like thunder. For good measure, she turned her body just enough to clap her hands, and a small lightning bolt struck the empty lot across the street.

As soon as the clerk had gone back into the building, they both jumped into the car and were out of sight before the police could ask the clerk what had happened. Sam was hoping the security camera's range didn't include the far side of the lot. Amelia was a little more pro-active. She called for one more lightning strike, and hit the security/alarm control box dead on.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12

It turned out Missouri's house was only a short distance from where they had stopped for gas. He pulled the car down her driveway. He didn't want to leave the Impala on the street, just in case Amelia's attempt to erase the security tapes had not been effective. He tried to fix the flowers before they got out of the car, but they were pretty much toast after Sam had sat on them in his hurry to get in the car and away from the convenience store. Amelia had thanked him for the thought when he had told her the other one had been for her. She knew Missouri would have also appreciated his thoughtfulness, but she told him no woman wanted crushed flowers, so he left them in the car.

Sam stepped out of the car and turned to see Missouri standing on her back porch. She had the same stern expression on her face she had given Dean all those years ago. But it immediately softened into a look of concern. She just stood there studying him. So much had happened since he had last seen her. He assumed she was reading all his thoughts and feelings of the last seven years. It occurred to him; maybe being around psychics and mind readers was a major time saver. They ought to attend family and high school reunions.

"What do you think I am? Some party accessory you can rent like a beg keg." Missouri said sternly but then smiled. 'Shit. Was he ever going to learn to control his thoughts around these women'? "Watch your mouth, Sam."

He walked up to her as she stepped off the porch and they embraced. When they released each other, Missouri glanced to Amelia, who had quietly gotten out of the car. "Who's your friend?"

Sam turned to Amelia, "Missouri, this is…." He paused. He didn't know if Amelia had removed the shield to her true identity or not. Amelia nodded her head at Sam and let Missouri see who she truly was. "This is Mother Nature. But she prefers Amelia."

Missouri had taken a step back as Amelia had removed her shield. The sudden exposure to the enormous energy of the goddess had overwhelmed the psychic. It didn't take her long to recover. "You really need to give a person some warning when you're going to do that."

"I'm honored to meet you. These are for you. Sam left them in the car." Amelia held out both of bunches of flowers, except they were all intact and more vibrantly colored and smelled sweeter than when Sam had bought them. Both women stared at each other for a few seconds and then smiled warmly. He was sure they had just psychically conversed about something, probably him, but he really didn't want to know.

"Sam, why don't you pull Dean's car into the garage?" Missouri said very matter-of-factly, and then added. "The police didn't get the license plate but they have a pretty good description."

He looked between the two women, who had linked arms and were already heading into the house. He hadn't been sure before but he was now positive he was in way over his head. He opened the door to Missouri's garage then got back into the car and parked it out of sight of neighbors, police cars and helicopters; wondering when Missouri learned had learned about license plates, descriptions and police surveillance. He grabbed his bag with his notes, list of potential people to save Dean and his laptop. By the time he made it into the house, the ladies were sitting around the kitchen table with glasses of iced tea.

"So they just grabbed you because you were with Sam? They really had no idea who you were?" Missouri was asking Amelia as he put down his bag and Amelia offered him a glass of the ice cold liquid.

"What did I miss?" Sam asked as he pulled out a chair to sit at the table.

"I was just telling Missouri what happened at the store." Amelia said as she sipped on her tea.

Amelia filled them both in on the events in the parking lot. The three demons had appeared just as she had finished putting the pump handle back in place. They had grabbed and tried to teleport her away, but were very surprised when they all stayed put. One had made a comment about 'what has Sam Winchester managed to get his hands on'. She had been able to read their thoughts; they hadn't come for her. They were just trying to find out who Sam was travelling with. The smallest one had said something about 'making Crowley happy'. She had let them lead her behind the van. As soon as they were out of sight she had killed them, and that's when Sam had found her.

Sam's thoughts were racing; there was no longer any doubt Crowley's pact to leave the Winchesters alone was over. The anger in his mind made both women cringe. Amelia touched his arm to try and calm him down. "Sam, I'm fine. They still have no idea who I am, and they were not able to communicate your location."

"Crowley's not stupid. He's going to start to wonder why all the demons he sends after me end up dead." He turned to look at Amelia. "And now that you've unhidden yourself…"

"Oh. That was only for a second, it was all Missouri needed." She smiled at the psychic, and they both nodded at Sam.

Missouri added her assurance. "Sam, honey, you're safe here. From the police, and demons; Leviathans, too."

"You know about the Levis?"

"Of course." Missouri got up from the table and showed Sam and Amelia her stash of borax cleanser under her sink. "And the garage wasn't just to keep out of sight of the police. It's protected with demon traps and warding spells, just like the house. You're not the only one to learn a lot in the last few years." Sam looked around; now that he was looking for it he could see the subtle signs of protection everywhere. "So, why don't we talk about why you're here?" She added as she sat back down at the table.

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The rumble of Sam's empty stomach interrupted their discussion of the best way to approach the people on his list. Amelia's stomach followed with its own gurgle a few seconds later. "Oh my, look at the time." Missouri said looking at the clock on the kitchen wall. "When did you two eat last?"

"Well, now that you mention it, breakfast was a long time ago." Sam replied.

"My mother would be ashamed of me for not offering guests something to eat." Missouri was shaking her head as she got up from the table. "Sam, you clear the table; put all your notes and the computer over on the sideboard." She pointed to an antique cabinet across the kitchen." Amelia, you set out plates and silverware. I've got some wonderful leftovers from a BBQ yesterday." She was already pulling containers out of the refrigerator.

Sam was reluctant to stop until he saw the food Missouri was setting out. His stomach rumbled again in agreement. They all sat back down after the food had been piled on the table, and dug in. Amelia and Sam had only had a couple pieces of fruit since dinner the night before. He relished the home cooked food, knowing if anything with additive had made it past Missouri, Amelia would have sensed it and stopped them.

They had covered a lot of information in the time they had been sitting at the kitchen table. Missouri now knew all about Dean killing the head leviathan and being sucked into Purgatory. He had also told her about Castiel; not everything but enough. After meeting Mother Nature, learning about Angels hadn't been hard for Missouri to believe. That most of them were dicks, and now dead, had hit her a little harder. Amelia had told them about her arrival and that she had sensed Sam's distress; and that saving both Winchesters was the reason she was here. Well, she was sure _the One_ wanted her to focus on sealing the weakened barriers and protect the planet; but now that she was here she'd set her own agenda. Missouri seemed to accept Amelia's explanation of _the One_ easily.

They both told Missouri about finding the amulet, what it will be able to do, how many and who they needed to find to help them and how the chosen ones would help it to be prepared. She could sense there was something about the amulet Amelia hadn't told Sam yet, but she already trusted the goddess to have his best interests at heart.

Sam had showed Missouri and Amelia his list of people they had saved. It turned out to be a much shorter list than he had thought it would be when he started. There were so many he had never learned their names; or they had been killed after wards; or he or Dean had had to kill someone they loved or had basically destroyed their lives. And the list of those that never even knew what he and Dean had done for them was even longer. He had managed to put together a list of just over two dozen people. People that knew what Dean had done to save them; people that as far as he knew were still alive and even though their lives had been pretty badly shaken at the time, they hadn't been completely destroyed.

Of the people on his final list, he knew some had moved; hell, they had seen the Pikes of Oasis Plains loading the moving truck, and Susan and Tyler Thompson leaving the Pierpont Hotel in a cab. Missouri had scolded him about the swearing but hadn't threatened him with bodily harm, so he figured he got off easy. But there were others who had strong ties to their communities and he was sure they would still be in the same towns at least. There were a few kids on his list; a couple would be old enough now they had probably gone off to school. There were two boys, well they'd be teenagers by now, that Dean had done so much more than just saved their or their loved ones lives. If they could find Lucas Barr and Michael Sorenson, he knew they would do whatever was asked of them to save Dean.

Sam had tried to explain a couple of names 'were women Dean had known….'. 'Well, of course he knew them, so did you.' 'Not in the way Dean knew them, you know _knew them_.' 'What are you talking about, boy?' 'You know. He _knew_ them,…in the biblical sense.' That exchange had garnered him a dirty look from Missouri but no scolding. Sam was actually kind of amazed by the fact Dean had so rarely mixed business and pleasure. He assumed there were probably more from the years Dean was hunting while he had been at school; but his brother hadn't written down a lot details in his journal. He had found a few details on the job he had done in New Orleans, just before he had come to Palo Alto to get him to help find their dad.

"It's good that you've included Jody Mills on your list. We liked her." Amelia had commented as she looked at his list. "But you've left off the best, our strongest connection to Dean." Sam stared at her, at a total loss for who she could be talking about. "Sam, it's you!"


	14. Chapter 14

Author's Notes: I changed the summary when posting this chapter. The story took on a life of it's own, going places I hadn't planned when I wrote the original summary. And, I can't properly express how much I appreciate all the comments and encouragement.

Chapter 13

"Sam, it's you." Amelia repeated as Sam looked at her with disbelief. "Why do you think he wanted you to be the one to carry him?" She added as she pointed to the amulet around his neck.

"I.., I can't be one of the seven. You said they would need to be untainted by what had happened to them. I'm kind of the poster boy for being tainted." Amelia and Missouri knew about his releasing Lucifer and being his vessel; but he hadn't told them about drinking demon blood. Although he guessed they both had probably seen it anyway.

Both women had sad, sympathetic looks on their faces. Missouri spoke first. "Sam, honey, I can tell there's more you haven't talked about. It doesn't matter what you've done; I can see your true heart. Your love for Dean is as pure as it comes, and so is your soul."

Sam thought he might agree with the first part, there was nothing in this world, or any other dimension, he wouldn't do to save his brother. But he knew she was wrong about his soul. Too much had happened; he'd made too many mistakes.

Amelia knew there was nothing they could say to help Sam see what she and Missouri saw. She stood up and walked around the table to Sam. "Stand up, Sam." He stayed in his chair, looking back and forth between the two women. "Please." He started to stand, and Amelia remembered how tall he was. She pushed him back down to his chair but turned him to face her. "Sorry, with your height, this will be better." She stepped next to him and wrapped her arms around and pulled him to her. She pressed his head close to her heart and bent down to kiss the top of his head.

Images started flashing in his mind; kind of like the visions he used to have but there was no pain. His body started to feel a comfortable warmth spread out from Amelia's arms. Every muscle in his body relaxed and every ache and pain disappeared. Time seemed to stop existing, or maybe the whole history of the world flashed by in an instant. An indescribable feeling of peace, freedom, acceptance, contentment, happiness, belonging and love flowed through him. He felt Amelia release him. He opened his eyes just in time to see the glow surrounding her recede.

"What….what was that?" He asked not even trying to fight the tears forming in his eyes.

"That was what I do best." She smiled at Sam and wiped at the tears on his cheek. "Just a little more intensely and singularly focused." When he just looked at her, she explained. "Sam, my strength and power comes from the planet; every rock, drop of water, plant and animal. I use that power to nurture and protect Earth the way any mother would. And I can also channel the energy that ebbs and flows between all things." When he just looked at her with a confused expression, she smiled at him. He could swear he saw a glow in her eyes.

"That, Sam, was me letting you see what is in the world because of you. The lives of six billion people just flashed before your eyes. They are alive, the majority are happy and healthy and some are lucky enough to know love because of you. You sacrificed yourself to save the planet. And even though not many know what almost happened a couple of years ago, the life-force of the planet knows." She bent over, kissed his forehead and then sat back down at the table. "That, my dear Sam, was the planet saying Thank You."

Missouri had been quiet throughout everything. She dabbed at her moist eyes and added. "Sam, I may not know about the life-force of a planet but I know when someone is beloved by God. And I believe He knows there could be no purer act than what you did."

Sam doubted he'd ever feel the way Amelia and Missouri wanted him to feel about himself. He hadn't sacrificed himself to save the whole planet. There was only one person he had done that for, Dean. If these two women thought he was good enough to do that again, he would try. He took a deep breath, turned to face the table and asked, "Okay, that makes one. Who's next on the list?"

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They spent the next hour discussing the remaining names on the list of potentials Sam had come up with. He explained who they were, where they had lived and what had happened to them. Missouri was able to help Sam search his subconscious memories and remember all the last names. She was also able to tell him a few of the people wouldn't be able to help them, because she was sure they had never recovered from their ordeals. Sam crossed Pastor Gideon, Paul Dutton, Mandy Duran, Penny Dessertine and Theresa Ellis off his list.

They all agreed the hardest person to find would be a new mother to share a few drops of breast milk. Sam was still a little grossed out about all the bodily fluids. It seemed like a lot to ask of people they only knew for a day or two, many years ago. Missouri and Amelia both thought no one would turn them down when asked to help Dean.

They decided to not contact anyone, except Jody, until they had a better idea of how easy it would be to find people after so many years. Sam hadn't heard from Jody since they had met at Bobby's. He hadn't tried, figuring it would be safer for her to contact him. If someone had bugged her vehicle, they probably had her phones tapped. She would have been a great help in running down names but it was too risky right now.

Sam got his laptop out and started searching the internet. The ladies retired to the parlor to continuing to get better acquainted. He started to think about 'how weird it was that they…..nope, he wasn't going to finish that thought'. With both of them being able to read his thoughts, he really had to be careful. He heard the women laughing and figured he had caught himself just in time.

His first few searches were for people most likely to have an article or other info floating around the web. He found several references for Martin Flagg, the screenwriter from California. Unfortunately, the most recent items were related to his death. He had been one of several Hollywood celebrities that had disappeared in the last few weeks. Sam guessed that he must have been replaced by a Levi and then killed by Crowley's demons. The next search went equally as bad. Detective Diana Ballard had been killed in the line of duty in Baltimore two years after they had been there.

After his disappointing start, Sam decided to try again at searching in chronological order from the day Dean came to his apartment. Figuring they would be harder to find after all these years, he'd see if he was going to have any luck. He got lucky right out of the gate, kind of. He discovered Tom and Ben Collins still lived in Telluride, Colorado, but couldn't find anything on Haley. He found Lucas Barr and his mother were still in Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin. Lucas had grown into quite an athlete; Sam found several write-ups from the local paper. Andrea still had a land line and he was able to find their phone number.

He went to tell the women he finely had some good news. He also needed to stretch his legs. He had been sitting at the table for several hours. When he got to the parlor, Missouri wasn't there. Amelia said she had left about an hour ago to see a client. He had been so engrossed in his searching; they hadn't wanted to disturb him. He was leery of Missouri being out there on her own but Amelia said she had insisted she was fine. He told her about finding the families of their first couple of cases.

Wisconsin and Colorado weren't close but it was closer than some of the other candidates on the east coast. They talked about the logistics of getting the _donations_ from their chosen people. Sam was willing to drive all over the country if he had to, but being closer would save time. He'd asked Amelia if maybe they could share 'their purified love' via the mail. Amelia wasn't sure but thought the talisman would want to meet each donor. She reached out and put her hand on Sam's chest, touching the amulet. As Amelia stared at his chest he could feel and hear an increase in the vibrations and humming coming from the little piece of metal. She nodded a couple of times and then removed her hand from his chest.

"It's as I thought. He needs to sense them and have them personally show their love of Dean." She said it like she was reporting the outcome of a private conversation, which is probably exactly what she was doing.

"Uh huh. While we're on the subject; why do you keep calling it a him? And why is it vibrating and humming now?" It wasn't like Sam was frightened by the activities of the necklace; they were actually kind of soothing. He was just curious.

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Author's Note: Not being used to writing fiction, I feel like I should be adding footnotes, citing sources for all the character references. Even if not necessary, I would like to thank SupernaturalWiki for their amazing catalog of information on all things Supernatural.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 14

"I was hoping you would ask about him." Amelia stated nonchalantly, but was glad to finally tell him the rest of the history of the talisman. "Which would you like to know first?" When Sam just looked at her, she added. "It really doesn't matter; the answers are so closely connected." He was still just staring but now down at the amulet. "What do you know about the origins of this talisman?"

Still looking at Dean's necklace, he replied, "I know Bobby said it was real special when he gave it to me. I was supposed to give it to my dad; but when he stood me up yet again, I gave it to Dean." He looked up from the necklace and to Amelia. "It just started humming again!"

"He remembers that night as fondly as you do." She smiled at….., Sam wasn't sure if it was him or the amulet.

"Huh?" She indicated he should continue. "Years later, Castiel told us it would burn hot in the presence of God. That's when Dean loaned it to him; Cas was trying to find God to help stop the apocalypse. Only Cas never found God; and when he gave it back to Dean, he threw it away." That moment was still a painful memory. He could swear the thing was now quietly whimpering. "Okay. What the hell? Why is it doing that?"

"I feel like I keep repeating myself; but it's a long story and difficult to explain." Sam just rolled his eyes and raised his brows and she didn't need to read his mind to know what that expression meant. She sighed and then smiled at him; he really was the cutest thing she had seen in a millennium.

"Sam, have you heard of the _Epic of Gilgamesh_?"

He wasn't expecting that. It took him several seconds to gain control of his swirling thoughts. He did remember hearing mention of the ancient text once when Bobby was researching a case. "He was a great Sumerian king; and demi-god if I remember right."

"Anything else?"

"It detailed the hierarchy and history of most of their gods?" He felt like he was taking an oral pop quiz.

"Yes!" She seemed proud of him, like he had passed the quiz. She let out another long sigh and sadness crept into her eyes as they fell on the amulet.

"His name is Apsu. He was my consort when I was known as the goddess Tiamat." She could tell he was getting ready to interrupt and start asking questions. She raised her hand to stop him and continued. "Like most writings that try to document the behaviors of gods and belief systems; they got some of the details quite wrong." She paused and this time Sam made no attempt to interrupt. "The tablets say Ea, the Lord of Incantations, put Apsu to sleep and then killed him. Ea decided to, I believe the expression is 'kill two birds with one stone'. His worshippers had been entreating him to empower the talisman they had created. So, after Ea put Apsu to sleep but before he destroyed his body; he took his essence and placed it in the amulet." She reached out and touched Sam's chest and the amulet again.

Sam felt the warmth of her hand and the amulet spread out across his chest. He suddenly felt like he was intruding on a very personal moment between long lost lovers. He cleared his throat and leaned back out of Amelia's reach. He wasn't sure what to say but the silence was deafening. "That's why it,…sorry, he started glowing when you approached the fireplace? He recognized you."

She smiled sadly and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Well, partly. His essence was brought back to life by _our _presences." Sam looked at her in total bewilderment. "Sam, he recognized me but he's been waiting for both of us for all these years."

When she didn't add anything else, he asked, "And? I'm going to need a little more explanation here."

"Apsu's been trapped in that piece of metal, cursed because he wanted to harm our children. He can only be released when he helps me save a beloved family member of the wearer of his essence. He knows we can finally set him free and his spirit can move on."

"Dean. He helps get Dean out of Purgatory; and that will free him as well?"

"Yes. It is how he can finally dance and sing again." Sam gave her another puzzled expression. "Sam, he's trapped in a few ounces of metal; vibrating and humming are as close as he can get."

They sat and looked at each other for a full minute before Sam broke the silence. "But, you said he remembered the night I gave him to Dean. How can he remember that if his essence came back to life three days ago?"

"I don't think I can explain that. It would be the equivalent of coma patient remembering what was said to them when they were unconscious."

"Huh. So, can he read my mind too? Why did the sounds he's making change when we talked about Dean throwing it, I mean him, away?"

"No. But he can sense your emotions. He felt how much that still hurts you."

It was Sam's turn to take a deep breath and let out a sigh. It dawned on him; he was now part of another ancient prophesy and apparently destined to save Dean, and the world, again.

"I'm so sorry, Sam. If it helps, Apsu's curse and prophesied rescue were not specifically meant for you." She smiled at him, but knew it did not help. "But,_ I_ am very glad it did fall to you." She took his hands in hers. They just sat there, each trying to comfort the other and lost to their own thoughts. The slam of the front door screen brought them out of their reverie.

"I'm back." Missouri called as she came around the corner into the parlor. She saw the somber looks on both of their faces. "What did I miss?"

"I think we're good." Sam volunteered, hoping Missouri would let it go at that. He noticed the sun was approaching the western horizon. "It's been a long day. I'm starving."

"Who's the mind reader here?" She asked, sensing if she needed to know whatever had happened, they would tell her. She had also stopped at the store on her way home. "The groceries are in the car."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 15

After dinner Sam sat back down with his computer continuing the search for the people he and Dean had helped over the years. Of the 30 or so names he had started with, four were know to be dead. In addition to the two he found earlier in the day, he discovered Deacon Kaylor had been killed in a prison riot and Amanda Wood, who had survived a plane crash, had died being hit by a car crossing the street.

As he had suspected, several people were still in the towns were the Winchesters had helped them. Evan Hudson and his wife were still in Greenwood, Mississippi; Michael Sorenson, or least his mother, still owned and operated a motel in Fitchburg, Wisconsin; and Cassie Robinson was now the Editor of the paper in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Sam felt like he was finally making progress.

Missouri and Amelia had come into the kitchen about 10pm. Missouri said she usually turned in pretty early and she assumed they would be staying with her. Sam and Amelia had looked at each other; neither had thought that far ahead. Missouri told them she had a spare bedroom. A silence hung in the air between the three of them. Sam finally answered the unasked question. "Amelia, you take the bed; I'm going to stay up searching for the people on my list. I'll crash, er..lay down, on the sofa when I get tired." Missouri saw the little smile that crossed both of their mouths and sensed they had a shared secret that was none of her business.

"Sam, I can't let you do that." Amelia responded. "You couldn't fit onto that sofa if we cut you in half. I'll take the sofa." She crossed her arms over her chest and planted her feet, letting Sam there was going to be no further discussion.

"Okay, that's settled." Missouri said as she turned to head to her room. "Second door on the right, when you're ready." She called as she disappeared into her room.

They stood staring at each other until Amelia pivoted and headed for the parlor. Sam watched her fluff a pillow and lay down on the sofa, which turned out to be too short for even her. She pretended like she was comfortable and closed her eyes. He may not know a lot about women, or goddesses, but he knew better than to point out the obvious to either one. He heard her make a _harumph_ sound as he turned back to the kitchen table and his laptop.

Sam sat there trying to decide who to look for next. He decided it was time to start the hardest part of their search, finding a nursing mother among the women on the list. There were about a dozen women still on the list who were 'of child-bearing age'. Sam had only seen or talked to one, Melanie Golden, in years. How does one go about finding out if a woman has recently had a baby? He remembered Jess had been invited to a baby shower once, but both the invite and the birth announcement had been on paper. He hoped that custom had changed and started looking for electronic announcements.

Two hours later, after not finding a single electronic shower or birth announcement, it occurred to him the women had probably married and he had no idea what their last names might be now. That actually gave him the idea to look for wedding notices. He found Charlie, who had been a teenager seven years ago in Toledo and who had married her college sweetheart last year. And his friend Rebecca from St. Louis had also married in the last few years. He was reluctant to try the next two names, but he also found Sarah Blake and Lori Sorenson had also married since he had known them. Sam had known there was no possibility of his being part of either of their lives, and he was glad they had found happiness but…. He thought he had given up on the _what ifs _of his life years ago.

It was close to 2 in the morning and he was having a hard time focusing his eyes any more. He stood and stretched, seeing Amelia curled up and looking miserable on the sofa. 'This is ridiculous' he thought to himself. He went and gently picked her up and carried her to Missouri's guest room. He was used to sleeping in miserable places and at least Missouri's floor was clean and had nice, thick rug. As he laid Amelia down on the bed she woke and grabbed his hand as it slipped out from under her. "Stay. There's plenty of room for both of us." He was starting to shush her when she added with a sleepy smile, "I'll keep my clothes on."

He slipped his hand out of hers, threw the light blanket from the foot of the bed over her and closed the door on his way out. He had spent his whole life salting doors and windows before going to bed. He rummaged through his bag and found the salt. He headed for the back of the house, figuring he'd work his way to the front and the parlor with its thick rug. When he got to the back door he found it was already salted, so was every window he checked. He didn't remember seeing either Missouri or Amelia laying down the salt, but he had been pretty wrapped up in his searching.

He stood at the parlor door looking at the rug. He turned out the last of the lights and walked back down the hallway. He quietly opened the guest room door and lay down on the opposite side on the bed from Amelia. His weight made the bed dip and she turned and curled up around him. He was absolutely positive this wasn't going to end well, but good god he missed the feeling of woman sleeping next to him. Amelia heard his thoughts as she drifted back to sleep, and agreed with him whole heartedly.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16

Missouri always turned in early because she was an early riser. She quietly made her way to the kitchen, glancing in the parlor as she walked by the door. She wasn't at all surprised to find neither Sam nor Amelia sleeping in there. She had known there was something between those two, even if they didn't know it yet. She looked at Sam's list and notes from last night. It suddenly occurred to her she had forgot to mention she had stayed in touch with Jenny Cooper and her kids right here in Lawrence. They were the reason she knew no one would turn Sam down when he asked for help saving Dean.

x

Sam thought it was going to be another hot day since he was already sweltering while lying there half asleep. He felt something shift on top of him and opened his eyes as Amelia finished rolling away from him onto her back. 'Well, that explained the warmth' he thought. "Good morning." He said as she stretched her arms over her head. She started just a little, like she too had forgotten he was there.

She turned and smiled back at him. She started and then resisted the instinct to lean over and kiss him. He just watched her and smiled even wider until his dimples were in full view. She quickly rolled off the other side of the bed; 'what had she been thinking' running through her head. She didn't need to read his thoughts; he was openly chuckling at her reaction by then. "Shut up and get up you big…big…" She knew she was already 'in way too deep' if a man had her tongue-tied. He was outright laughing by the time she reached the door headed for the bathroom.

x

Sam was still smiling when he reached the kitchen and found Missouri pouring coffee. "Amelia doesn't drink coffee." Sam told her.

"That's why I made her a cup of tea." Missouri said as she pointed to the steaming mug on the counter. "I hope you know what you're doing." She added, making it quite clear she hadn't needed to read his thoughts to know what had just happened.

It dawned on Sam he had no idea what he was doing. It had felt like he was teasing a friend when it had started. But now, somehow it felt like he dipped Amelia's pigtails in the ink well. 'Okay, not only am I crushing on an ancient goddess, I am apparently doing it on it on _the Little House on the Prairie'_. The look on Missouri's face said all that needed to be said, but she added an "Uh huh" just for good measure. He was just starting to blush when Amelia came into the kitchen. She closed her eyes to concentrate and keep his thoughts from entering her mind. The three of them just stood there; two of them trying not to read minds and the third hoping they were successful.

Missouri broke the silence. "Sam, I forgot to tell you; Jenny Cooper still lives in your old house. I see her a couple times a year. I know she will want to help you." That was all it took, everybody was back in _Saving Dean Mode_.

"That's great." Sam said; glad for the change of focus. "Any chance she's had a baby recently?" Both women stared at him for the abrupt way he'd asked the question. "What?" He asked, and then added, hoping they weren't too pissed at him. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't find anyone on the list that has had a baby." They were still glowering at him when his phone rang.

"Saved by the bell." Missouri said, and he wasn't sure if she read his thoughts or was just thinking the same thing as he was.

He checked his phone but didn't recognize the number. "Yeah?"

"Sam?" It was, or at least sounded like Jody.

He handed the phone to Amelia. They had already determined she could sense if a caller was possessed or a Leviathan. "May ask who's calling please?" Sam and Missouri looked at each other, neither expecting such formal phone etiquette.

"Amelia? It's Jody Mills." Jody was surprised to hear the woman answer Sam's phone. Last time she had seen them, neither she nor Sam knew who or what she was.

"Hello, Jody. We're glad to hear your voice." Amelia said like she was talking to an old girlfriend. "I'll give you back to Sam." And she handed the phone back to Sam with a smile and a nod of her head.

"Sorry, Jody. It turns out she is a great demon and Levi screener, even over the phone." Sam said as way of explanation. "Where are you calling from?

"A payphone in the middle of no-where." The disgust in her voice evident. "Spending time with you guys has made as paranoid as you are. I assumed all my phones are being tapped. "

"Probably the best way to go." Sam knew Jody wouldn't risk exposing his location. "How's it going out there?"

"How's it going? HOW'S IT GOING?" Are you kidding me? My office has been crawling with feds for the last three days! That's how it's going!"

"Jody." "Jody." Jody!" Sam finally yelled to get her attention through her rant. She stopped. "Are you safe?"

"Yeah." She took a deep breath. "But everybody and their uncles, the FBI, the NSA, even the INS and Weather Service are all over Bobby's place. Seems they found a few dead bodies, including a G-man, out there. Only none of the agents that were there can say what happened, apparently they couldn't see a thing because a huge dust cloud came out of nowhere. And for some reason they think I had been near the area at the time." Sam could hear the sarcasm dripping off her words.

"You think you can get out of there?" Sam knew Jody was going to be in trouble for what had happened. 'Come to…"

Jody cut him off before he could say anything more. "Sam! Don't say anything else. They may not know where I am, for now. But, it's only a matter of time before they find this phone and trace all the calls."

"Shit." He could feel Missouri scowling at him for swearing. He thought for a second. It wasn't a great plan but it was the only message he knew Jody would understand. "Can you get to where we worked together that _time_?" He paused to give her a second to think. " And do you remember who helped Dean?" He paused to make sure his cryptic message was being understood. " I want you to contact_ him_ there, via General Delivery mail. We'll be there in three days. Be careful." With that he hung up the phone. He turned to find worried expressions on both of the women's faces. Being with mind-readers saved a lot of time repeating phone calls.

"Missouri, I need to ditch this phone. You got any slow boats to China coming through Lawrence?" Sam tried to reassure the ladies with, what even he knew was lame, humor.

"I've got a better idea." Amelia was already headed to the back door. Sam and Missouri followed her. She turned her face to the clear summer sky and held out an arm. Sam knew immediately what she intended and asked Missouri for a piece of strong twine. He downloaded all his contacts to his laptop and then erased them from his phone. By the time the pigeons had arrived, Sam secured the string around his phone. Amelia _asked _the largest of the birds if he would help her. About 10 minutes after hanging up on Jody, his phone was travelling rather erratically in a Southeasterly direction.

'Crap, I really liked that phone.' He thought as he watched his phone disappear. "Missouri, can you pack a few things quickly, looks like you need to come with us." He said as he turned back to the psychic.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxX

Author's Note: This and the last couple of chapters are a little shorter than usual, and so are the next few. I'm not running out of story; they all just felt like natural story breaks. Continued thanks to all of you reading the story and sharing your thoughts. Who knew you could have so much fun sitting at a computer screen, and my typing skills are really improving!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 17

Sam told Missouri that he and Amelia were going to Canton, Ohio to meet Sheriff Mills, and filled them both in on what his coded message had meant. But nothing he said had convinced Missouri she needed to come with them. Finally Amelia had convinced her to at least get away from her house for a while. Missouri packed a small bag, called her nephew, Walter, to water her plants and pick up her mail. Walt didn't ask any questions, Missouri had needed to 'take a few days off' before. Sam had taken the Impala and found a auto storage facility. When he got back, Missouri was packed. They transferred as much gear as they could out of the Impala's trunk and into Missouri's car; then they drove both vehicles to the locker and left Dean's car behind them. They were headed east on I-70 in less than three hours.

By noon, just after they had crossed the state line; Sam was shocked when Missouri said they should stash her car and pick up a new one in Independence, Missouri. She told them she 'knew someone' who owed her a favor. "Don't look at me like that. You don't know anything about my life, Sam." She said when he had looked at her with a questioning stare. When they got to her friend's place, she hauled a wad of cash out of her bag, and told the guy what kind of car they needed. Missouri told Sam to take his stuff out of her car. Just as he finished unloading her car, the guy pulled up in a mini-van. Her car disappeared as they were loading the gear into the back of the van. They would have been back on the road in less than an hour except Missouri had also asked where they could get a good ID made. So, in less than two hours after they had arrived in Independence, they were headed east again in a ugly but dependable Dodge Caravan with title and registration, Sam had a perfect Missouri State Driver's license, with the name Eliot Ness under his picture and a disposable cell phone thrown in for free.

x

They drove all afternoon, stopping only for gas and once at a fruit stand near an exit ramp. Sam obeyed all the speed limits and rules of the road; they couldn't take any chances at getting pulled over. The evening rush was just easing up as they approached St. Louis. She told Sam to take the third exit, and Missouri gave them directions to another 'friend's' house. She told them to wait for her in the van, and she went to the front door. After a brief conversation with a woman who looked remarkably like Missouri, she returned to the van. "Okay. I'll be good here."

'What?" Both Sam and Amelia asked.

"My friends have been monitoring the news and police scanners all day and there hasn't been a peep about any of us all day, here or in Kansas." She had been getting her bag out of the back while she had been talking. She opened Amelia's door and had her move into the front passenger seat. "Listen, a young white couple on a road trip won't get any attention, add an old black lady to the mix and you stand out like a sore thumb." By then she was reaching into her bag and pulled out a thick envelope. "Here, take this." And she shoved the envelope into Amelia's hands. "I'll be fine. I'll wait a few days and then head back to Lawrence. I know your new cell number; I'll call when I'm sure it's safe to come back and get Dean." She tapped the hood twice. Sam nodded and started to drive off.

"Sam!" Amelia shouted. 'We can't just leave her here."

He was used to being a fugitive, and apparently Missouri had some experience as well. But their behavior completely baffled Amelia. She could sense they both knew what they were doing and this was the safest for all of them. But, knowing they were both doing this as much for her safety as well as getting Dean out of Purgatory only made her miss her new friend even more.

x

Sam stopped to top off the gas tank as they crossed into Illinios, at a station near where I-70 and I-55 meet. He figured they still had two and a half days to get to Canton, about 500 miles. He could make that in less than a day. He had an idea. He spent a couple minutes thinking about it and checking the map, then headed for the ramp to I-55 Southbound. He didn't bother to tell Amelia about the change in plans, thinking she had already seen what he was thinking. "What do you think?" He asked.

"About what?" She replied after a few seconds. That's when he noticed she had been crying and not paying any attention to his thoughts.

"Amelia, I'm sorry this has all been so abrupt for you. Missouri knows how to take care of herself." He noticed the tissue box left between the seats and handed her one.

She sniffled, blew her nose and then looked at Sam. Suddenly her eyes went wide open. "Oh. Yes, I think getting Cassie to help us would be a good idea."

"If we can't use a sheriff's connections, then a newspaper editor's will have to do." Sam smiled at her and rolled his window down to let in the cooling evening breeze as they sped up the ramp onto the freeway.

X

They reached Cape Girardeau, Missouri right after midnight. He hadn't been able, or maybe hadn't wanted, to stop and tell Cassie he was coming. But he also didn't want to go knocking unannounced on doors so late at night. Sam took the first exit into town to look for a motel to grab a few hours sleep. It had been a long time and several hundred motel rooms ago, but he'd swear it was the same one he and Dean had stayed in seven years ago. He'd also swear it hadn't been painted, hell, he wasn't sure it had been cleaned, in those seven years either; it was a dump. Amelia has wrinkled up her nose at the smell when they opened the door. At least Sam hoped it was the smell, not that the motel only had single rooms left and that they'd have to share a bed again.

She told him to grab the first shower, despite his protests that he doubted there would be enough hot water for two showers. By the time he stepped out of the bathroom, the room smelled fresher and the sheets looked crisp and clean. He wasn't sure how she had pulled it off but was too tired to care. By the time she got out the bathroom he had salted the door and windows and he was half asleep sitting at the foot of the bed. When he stood to get the bathroom window, she took the salt and pushed him back onto the bed.

As he crawled up the bed and flopped down on top of the sheets, it occurred to him this would be the third night they had shared a room and the second they shared a bed. Sam was sure that should mean something, but just didn't know what. By the time Amelia came back into the room he was passed out from exhaustion. She smiled at gorgeous man laying there, so tired he didn't have a single thought or dream going through his head. She wished they could have a window open because they were now quite a ways further south and close enough to the Mississippi River the humidity had already made her feel sticky again. She was going to wear one of the T-shirts Sam had offered her the first night, but she forgot to ask him for it. 'Oh well, he's already asleep' she thought to herself as she slipped out of her clothes and under the sheet. 'She'd be up and dressed before he woke in the morning' she told herself as she drifted to sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 18

The rising sun was blasting its way through the crack in the curtains, right into Sam's eyes. If that wasn't enough of a signal it was time to wake and start another busy day, his stomach grumbled to remind him he hadn't eaten last night. He could feel the warmth of Amelia lying near his back; it was comforting despite the heat and humidity. He rolled over intending to wake her, but found himself looking at a beautiful, and completely naked, young woman. Sam could see she must have thrown the sheet off during the night; it was still partially draped over her lower body.

He just lay there staring at her sleeping form. Sam hadn't really taken the time to study her features before. She wasn't what he'd call classically beautiful; she was short and her face rounded. But her skin was smooth and tawny colored. He let his eyes travel down her torso and abdomen. There was nothing that screamed gorgeous at him, but she was just naturally pretty. He noticed part of a tattoo under her navel peeking out over the top of the sheet. The desire to lift the sheet to see the rest of the tattoo, and her, was making him breathe heavily.

They were both old enough to be consenting adults. Hell, he had just turned 29. Even though she was several years younger than him, it wasn't like she was jail-bait. Well Amelia Stone was younger, the goddess inside… And that was all it took to squelch any thoughts he was having at running his hand down her inviting shape or waking her with a kiss. He was falling for another supernatural being in a human's body. He didn't care if Amelia Stone had volunteered for the gig, having sex with a man she had met four days ago was probably not what she had signed up for.

Sam heard her moan. He wasn't sure if it was a pleasurable sounding moan or his body just interpreted it that way, as he rolled away and off the other side of the bed. Either way, it was too late. No matter what had caused Amelia to moan, his body was already aroused. He quickly headed for the shower to take care of the problem, one way or another.

Amelia's dream of Sam running his hand over her body was cut short and replaced by thoughts of multiplication tables. She opened her eyes, saw Sam's side of the bed empty and that she was mostly uncovered. She noticed the shower was running and heard Sam quietly chanting the decimals of pi to 10 points, over and over again. She could also smell the scent he had left behind on the bed. She sighed, and silently started reciting the elements of the periodic table.

Amelia had dressed by the time she heard the shower turn off. She decided to ease what was sure to be an uncomfortable moment, yelled at Sam through the door that she was getting breakfast and left the room before he had a chance to stop her. Sam heard Amelia say she would get breakfast as he stepped out of the shower. He didn't like the idea of her out there alone, but he had to admit he was glad she wasn't there when he came out. He had to wrap himself in a towel because he had been in such a hurry he hadn't grabbed any clean clothes. He dressed quickly and pulled out his laptop while waiting for her to come back.

He had just found Cassie's _Southeast Missourian_ website when Amelia came in with take-out from a near-by _Bob Evans_ restaurant. Sam completely forgot the anticipated awkward moment the minute he smelled the food. As she started unpacking the food she asked him, "I wanted to try a southern breakfast. Have you ever had grits?"

Sam was getting ready to ask if she was kidding when she handed him an Omelet loaded with fresh vegetables, and a small side of grits. He looked up to see her smiling at him and holding a cup of coffee. "Gotcha." She said, and then added, "They really aren't that bad, you know."

"Tell me that when it's all you've had to eat for three days." Sam remembered the time their dad had left him and Dean in some backwater town in southern Arkansas for 10 days, without enough cash, and all Dean could scrounge up the last couple of days had been grits. They ate quickly and Sam had to agree, they weren't half bad prepared this way. Of course, he was also famished.

As soon as they were done eating, Sam got his new cell phone out and called the paper. He asked for Cassie Robinson and was quickly put on hold. He had been on hold for a couple of minutes and he was afraid she wasn't going to pick up an unknown caller, when she answered, "Cassie Robinson here, how can I help you?'

It suddenly dawned on Sam he didn't really know what to say. "Cassie?" He asked and quickly moved to have Amelia listen in.

"Yes. May I ask who is calling?" They could both hear the beginning irritation in her voice. Amelia nodded her head at Sam in confirmation.

"It's Sam., Sam Winchester, Dean's brother." He said, still unsure how to proceed.

"Uh. Sam. Why are you call…" She paused. "Is Dean okay?"

Her question was the natural reaction. When you don't hear from someone for years and then their brother calls, everybody assumes its bad news. "That's why I called. We,.. I mean I, need your help. Dean's in trouble."

There was no response for what seemed like ages, and then she asked, "Where are you?"

"We're here, in Cape Girardeau. Can I come to your office?"

"We? Is Dean with you?" She asked; concern obvious in her voice now.

"No. But I'm travelling with someone who can help." That was true. The details could wait until they met, if Cassie needed to know who his companion was.

"Of course. Can you find the building?"

Sam had held the phone out so Amelia could keep listening. Their eyes met for a second and he replied, "We can be there in 20 minutes."

"See you then." Cassie said as she hung up her phone.

X

Sam closed his phone, and turned to throw the few things he had unpacked last night back into his duffle. They were back in the van in five minutes. Despite morning traffic, they pulled into the paper's parking lot exactly 20 minutes after talking to Cassie.

Cassie had told the receptionist she was expecting a couple of people and they should be brought straight to her office. Sam noticed the worried look on Cassie's face as soon as they stepped through her door.

"Sam." She said as she held out her hand to shake his.

"Hello Cassie. Thanks for seeing us so quickly." He turned to Amelia. "Cassie, this is Amelia, she's helping me find Dean."

Cassie just stood and looked between them. "Find Dean? He's missing?" She finally managed to get out. She seemed to regain her composure and indicated they should sit.

"Cassie, it's a really long story. I'll tell you everything, if you really want to know." He paused, but when she didn't reply he went on. "Things changed, a lot, for Dean and me since we were here." He paused briefly again before continuing. "This is so much more than a haunted truck. And I need your help." This time he stopped to give her a chance to let it all sink in.

She only hesitated a second before replying. "Anything I can do, I'll do." She glanced at Amelia, a look of recognition slowly coming to her face. Amelia saw immediately that Cassie recognized her from the news reports of the last few weeks as she was crossing the country. She also knew she wasn't going to let her know she could read her thoughts, at least not yet. "Sam? Is this Amelia Stone?" Cassie was looking in Amelia's direction. " The Amelia Stone from Spokane?"

Sam looked to Amelia, saw the almost imperceptible nod of her head and turned back to Cassie. "Yeah. She's a very special …" he hesitated briefly, "friend. She's come a long way to help me get Dean back."

"Back from where Sam?" When he didn't respond, she repeated the question. "Sam, where's Dean?"

He really wished he had thought about how to tell her this. 'Oh well, just say it,' he decided. "Cassie, Dean's in Purgatory."

"Purgatory? As in… as in Dante's Purgatory?" She asked after remembering to breathe again.

"Kind of. But it's more of _our _kind of thing than a classical novel." Sam knew that wasn't the right thing to say. But how do you tell your brother's ex-girlfriend he had 'been sucked into an alternative reality while killing one of the most powerful men in the country who happened to be a monster; and, oh by the way, he took an angel of the lord with him'. Amelia glared at him. 'I'm not going to say it like that.' For the first time he was really glad she could read his thoughts.

"Cassie." Amelia took Sam's 'non-verbal' communication as permission to use her skill. She used the thoughts and feelings she'd been getting from the woman to help Cassie understand. "Sam tells me you know what he and Dean do?" Cassie nodded at Amelia. "In the years since you knew them, the scope of the things they fight became quite a bit more monumental." She could see Cassie was keeping up with her explanation so far. "You run a newspaper?" Another nod. "You know the world has seen a great many strange occurrences the last few years." Cassie looked at Sam this time, but nodded. "Dean and Sam have been instrumental in saving the planet from destruction, twice, in the last couple of years."

"Wha….?" Was the best she could manage.

"I'm sorry, Cassie, this is very hard, even for someone who knows and has encountered the this reality, that there is much more to the world than what appears in the news." Amelia knew relating it to her profession would help her focus her mind. She had seen her heart was already willing to do anything Sam asked, to help Dean. "Sam will explain it all to you. Or Dean can, after we get him back. But right now there is not time to tell everything. Sam needs assistance finding a few people, people like yourself who they have helped over the years."

Cassie looked back at Sam, took a deep breath, nodded and waited for him to tell her what he needed. "Cassie, can you use the newspaper's search engines to find the current name, location and phone numbers of about a dozen people?" She looked at Sam for a couple more seconds before opening the computer on her desk.

"Show me what you've got so far."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 19

Cassie's first question after Sam had given her the list of names had been 'why he needed to find these people'. He had given her the same abridged version Amelia had given him at first. Reassured she wasn't doing anything illegal or something that would put others in harm's way; she had worked her computer like she was researching the story of her career.

While they waited on some their search results Sam supplied Cassie with bits and pieces of their lives over the last six years. The near apocalypse, without his being Lucifer's vessel or going to hell; Angels, especially since Cas had made quite a bit of news last year; and the Leviathans. She actually took the part about famous people being replaced by flesh-eating monsters pretty well. By the time he got to Dean killing Richard Roman, well the Leviathan posing as Roman, she was way past being shocked at anything he said.

After she had found most of the people on the list, Sam figured it was time to put it all out there for her. "Cassie, we're going to need to find someone in a unique condition." He knew he was scaring her with his tone of voice and the way he had said that. She gulped and then nodded. "We need at least one of these women to have had a baby, recently." He told her about the seven fluids then. He couldn't just ask her to find a nursing mother without some kind of explantion.

She stared at him. He didn't need Amelia's or Missouri's mind-reading abilities to hear the thoughts raging in her head. He could also see the moment she decided to help him. What he didn't know, if it was because she trusted him or still cared that much for Dean. He hoped it was both. "Sam, I'm not sure I can access county birth records all over the country." She looked at the home page for her paper, where her computer had defaulted to as a screen saver. "But, I'm pretty sure I can search local papers in those cities for birth announcements. It will take awhile. Some of these cities will have more than one local paper." By the time she had finished talking to him she was already typing.

While she was looking for the most difficult piece of their plan, he started downloading phone numbers and demographics into his phone. If he had learned anything from Bobby, it was to back-up all information. He now had over two dozen possibilities and their phone numbers and locations.

"So, what's the story on Amelia?" Cassie asked, while typing, after a few minutes. Amelia had left the office, saying she wanted to let them work, over an hour ago.

"Are you asking as a friend, or a reporter?" Sam was in way too deep not to trust her with his and Dean's lives; Amelia was a completely different story. "I'm sorry. That was un-called for." He replied to the hurt expression that crossed her face. "It's not my place, Cassie. Ask her, I'm sure she'll tell you."

As if on cue, there was a knock on the door and Amelia stepped back into the room. "My ears were burning." She said with a warm smile.

Sam grinned back at her. "Cassie was just wondering what your role was in the plan." He stated in mock formality.

Amelia _saw_ what Sam had told her and then he added 'it's up to you'. The way he used her mind-reading when it was convenient for him struck her as a bit hypocritical; and she wasn't sure she was crazy about his new way of talking to her. But she also saw his complete trust of this woman. "Cassie, I have been brought forth from another dimension to help Sam retrieve Dean and Castiel, and complete the removal of the threat from the leviathans." Amelia stated very straight-forwardly. She glared at Sam as he started to _ask_ if she was going to tell Cassie her true name.

"Uh…" Was all Cassie's brain could think of. Amelia could sense her struggling and she hated to add to her discomfort, but she had come back into the office for a reason.

"Sam, someone recognized you when we drove through town. He is trying to find the van and you." She knew Cassie had immediately picked up on the implied nature of what she had said, and her mind was filled with new questions. Amelia turned to Cassie, and answered her questions before she could ask them. "I'm very sensitive to the emotions, and thoughts, of others."

"You….you can…you can read….." Cassie had started to stutter out when Sam interrupted her.

"Crap. Did you hear anything else?"

"A little bit. He was so angry his thoughts weren't clear, something about Oklahoma and someone named Steve. He's planning violence if he can find you." Amelia sensed his fear, not for himself but for Cassie and the newspaper staff if he was found here.

"Cassie, we need to go." When she looked at him with a dazed expression, he added, "We've, well I, have made enemies over the years. I can't risk you or your staff getting hurt because you get caught up in one of my messes." He was already packing up the information they had collected. He stopped to write down his cell number and e-mail address. "You've got the list, keep looking."

"Wait. What about me; I want to help save Dean?"

"Cassie, keep looking for those last few names, and our young mother. Contact me in a day or two day to give me anything else you can find and I'll tell you when and where to come." A lifetime of always looking for exits upon entering a room, in case a quick escape would be needed, proved to be a valuable habit, again. He was pushing Amelia towards the back door of Cassie's office less than two minutes after the goddess's announcement.

Sam had Amelia _feel _ahead of their route, like emotional sonar to avoid….., he figured it had to be Tim because he had heard Reggie had been killed, until they made their way back to the interstate. They were back on I-55 headed north in less than 10 minutes. He knew from the look on her face he would pay dearly for the sonar thing, but he didn't care. They avoided a potentially dangerous situation, no one got hurt and even knowing she would get him back, it was still kind of funny.

She debated how to punish him for comparing her to a sonar detector. The expression 'best served cold' ran through her mind. But since he didn't seem bothered by her mind-reading when it was helpful; she decided to let Sam's memories help her. She remembered seeing some of the pranks Sam and Dean had played on each other over the years. "Sam. What does 'Nair in your shampoo' mean?"

After swerving slightly at the surprise of her payback and giving her a glare that even he would call a bitch-face, they both laughed until their eyes watered.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 20

As he drove north, the reality of what happened in Cape Girardeau sank in. Not only were they struggling to avoid demons, leviathans, and the FBI, apparently his past wasn't going to give him a pass either. Either Tim didn't think throwing himself into Lucifer's cage was enough to let him be forgiven for starting the apocalypse, or he just didn't care because of what had happened to Steve. He guessed they had been lucky, at least he hadn't run into anyone he had screwed over when he was soulless.

Amelia heard him cataloging his burdens, past and present. She wanted to tell Sam that all the great men she had known, humans and gods alike, had struggled with such matters. Their brief moment of joviality had not done much to lessen the great weight on him. Amelia just let him drive, sensing the cathartic release it provided.

It was early afternoon when they were getting back to St. Louis. Sam knew they needed to ditch the van Missouri had obtained for them. It shouldn't be too difficult, her friends had done a very thorough job; they had all the necessary paperwork, ID and cash to trade-in the van at a legitimate car lot. Two hours after they had found lot that advertised 'Generous Trade-Ins' they were driving off in a hybrid Chevy Tahoe. If it had been just him, it would have been an hour, a half hour for the purchase and a half hour to transfer his gear. Amelia had fussed about the fossil fuel consumption of the large vehicle he had wanted. He reminded her of the need for room to carry the 'family heirlooms' that were in the back of the van. They discussed the issues, fuel efficiency versus potential need for speed and handling, in cryptic coded words.

When Amelia had assumed the same stance she had used back at Missouri's when they had discussed sleeping arrangements, he had just given up trying to convince her about his choice. The salesman had treated them like a bickering couple, winking at Sam in sympathy at one point. Even with the trade-in, the almost new SUV was more than he had ever paid for a car in his life. Mind you, he had only _bought _a few cars in his life. But he just couldn't risk getting stopped in a stolen car.

They made great time on the I-70 through Illinois. Sam was used to travelling the smaller highways; they'd just always done it that way. There were fewer cameras and state troopers. He hated to admit the hybrid was good idea; there were fewer stops for gas. Knowing she had probably just heard him think that, he said "Don't wait for me to admit it out loud; it is not going to happen."

Amelia smiled at his mock consternation from where she had climbed into the back seat so she could spread out the sheets of information Cassie had given them. They included the last few printouts Cassie had made but Sam hadn't had time to look at before their quick exit. "Sam, did you notice that Cassie found all but two names on your list?"

"Yeah? I knew she had most of them before I told her about the new mother part." He turned to glance back at her and the papers. "Who couldn't she find?"

"A young woman named Jamie, from Pennsylvania; and a Haley Collins from Colorado. Is that a man of woman?"

Sam's mind was filled with images of the pretty young women; one a statuesque blonde and the other a naturally pretty brunette. That worried her. She hadn't been trying to look at his thoughts. The emotional connection she was forming with Sam was creating an involuntary psychic bond between their minds. It also worried her that she was feeling what could only be described as jealousy as he thought of the other women.

"I thought Jamie might be a hard one to find. Dean said she never stayed in one place long, that she liked seeing new places." He glanced at her in the rear view mirror and saw the troubled expression on her face. "Don't worry. I think we still have plenty of people to ask to help Dean." He glanced at her again in the mirror but she had turned her face back down, like she was looking at the papers. He risked a quick turn to look at her; she was obviously avoiding making eye contact and he'd swear she was blushing. 'What is that all about' he thought to himself as he turned his attention back to the road.

They stopped for dinner in Terre Haute, Indiana. Whatever had been bothering Amelia had passed and they both enjoyed pork tenderloin sandwiches from a roadside place with outside seating. They took time to review more of the information Cassie had gotten for them. It turned out the girl Sam and Dean had saved from a vengeful spirit trapped in a mirror, Charlie, had relocated to Columbus, Ohio with her husband. Missouri and Amelia had both felt she would be a good choice when they saw Sam's memories of the teenager. Sam checked his map and thought they could get to Columbus by late that evening.

They were back on the road debating if they should try to make contact with the young woman. "I know we weren't going to make contact with any of them until we had a better idea of how this was going to work out. But we seem to have changed that plan." Amelia paused before adding, "Cassie already knows the plan and you're going to tell Jody when we see her in Canton, aren't you?"

"What do we say? Oh Hi Charlie. You remember me? Oh, by the way, Dean is in Purgatory; can you spit or pee on this little piece of metal?" She could hear the frustration in his voice. At least she thought it was frustration. Since she was now really trying to not see into his thoughts and feelings, she could only guess. "There is still so much we don't know. We don't have the seven people picked out; we sure haven't found a nursing mother. I think we stick to the plan."

"Sam, I'd like to meet her. I could sense if she'd be receptive to our need." She paused and pointed to the amulet. "We could make sure he found her acceptable." She paused again, before adding, "Maybe we don't even have to tell her if Apsu rejects her."

Sam thought about it. She was right; they needed to make sure the people they asked would meet the trapped god's needs. "Okay. We'll grab a room when we get there and call her in the morning." Assuming Charlie was acceptable to Amelia and …Apsu, 'crap', he was still having trouble thinking of the amulet as having the essence of a god in it and an even harder time referring to it by name, Charlie would make four. Amelia had already told him that Jody and Cassie had been approved by _the nominating committee_.

When Amelia didn't laugh or even smile at his joke he assumed she didn't understand the reference to the political season already in full swing. He turned to her to explain the joke when he noticed she was deep in thought, again, and probably hadn't heard him. It seemed like she wasn't reading his thoughts since they had gotten the new car. He hoped it was because it was what he had asked her to do, and not because of some nasty thing she had seen up there in his head. He'd wait. He had a lot of practice at waiting for strong, silent types to be ready to talk to him.

For her part, Amelia hadn't heard the reference. She was enjoying watching the verdant farmland pass on either side of the highway. The last few days had been so hectic she hadn't really taken time to see the bounty this part of the world possessed. Even with dusk approaching she could see field after field of bright green crops thriving from fertile soil and water she had given this place. That made her think of Sam's joke about her being _older than dirt. _She supposed she should apologize to him for trying to get even, when he was basically right. Oh well, 'no woman wants to be reminded of her age' she said to herself.

X

They rolled in to Columbus very close to 10 PM, just as Sam had predicted. Amelia guessed a lifetime lived on the road had made him pretty good at meeting an itinerary. It had been another long day and despite spending most of it sitting in a car they were tired. Sam found a decent-looking motel, in a safer-than-the-usual neighborhood because of the high-end car they were driving. He wasn't crazy about how expensive the motel turned out to be, but he was pleased to find out it had a laundry room and served a continental breakfast in the lobby. It meant he could wash his clothes and get some breakfast without having to drive anywhere. They were both glad to have their own bed, too.

"I'm going to wash up some of my clothes." He said sorting his few clean things out of his bag and throwing them on his bed. The pile of dirty stuff on the floor was considerably larger. He looked up her and was going to ask if she wanted to throw hers in with his; when he remembered she didn't have anything but the clothes she was wearing.

She smiled softly at him and looked down at her simple outfit. There it was again, she was seeing his thoughts without trying, at least when his emotions were stirred. She was touched by his concern but really didn't care about what she wore. "I'm good. Sam, you do know I'd just as soon be naked, right?" She had been joking and regretted it as soon as she said it. His mind had immediately started flashing the memories of what he had seen this morning and he blushed deeply. She saw what he was thinking about, and felt the reaction it stirred in him and she blushed, too.

After several very uncomfortable seconds when Sam realized she had seen everything he just been thinking, he grabbed up his clothes and said, "Okay. I'll be back as soon as I can." He was out the door before she could tell him she could wash and dry his things here in the room. Amelia didn't try to stop him, though. After her mistake had caused him to be so embarrassed, it was probably better for them to spend some time apart.

It had been a long, hot day; and she really wanted to clean up. She was just sliding the dress over her head to take a shower when Sam burst through the door saying, "I forgot to lay down the salt lines." His eyes had gone directly to the other, equipment duffel on the floor as he entered. He looked up and saw her standing there...


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 21

He was standing there, with his dirty clothes still in his arms, staring at her with her arms still above her head. She lowered her hands and finished pulling the dress off her arms. Sam wasn't surprised she didn't have a bra on under her dress; he had noticed, on more than one occasion, the natural, smooth roundness of her breasts under the lightweight material. The granny panties seemed a little incongruous with picture presenting itself to him. But he guessed she would want natural cotton next to her skin.

Her skin was even lovelier than he remembered from waking up next to her naked form this morning; it was now flushed from the long, hot day and her reaction to his sudden presence. Neither of them moved, just stood looking at the other. A noise from outside brought Sam out of the enchantment seeing her had cast on him. He kicked a leg backwards and closed the door as he dropped his clothes to the floor. He stepped over the pile of laundry and closed the distance between them in two more steps of his long legs.

They stood inches apart, both now breathing heavily after discovering they had been holding their breaths since seeing each other. Sam wondered what he was waiting for; she obviously wanted him as much as he wanted her. Her eyes hadn't left his face since he looked up and saw her there. Her pupils were as wide with desire as he assumed his were. "It's not fair." She finally spoke reaching for the top button of his shirt. "You still have all your clothes on."

"Hey MISTER. It's not fair, wake up and move your clothes out of the washer. Come on, dude. Move them to the dryer!"

Sam was instantly awake, in the laundry room of the motel and some teenager was yelling at him. "Crap." He stood to move to get his clothes when he noticed his dream had created a small, well, not really so small, problem. The young man who had woke him up stared at him, then turned toward the door muttering, "what a perv" on the way out. "God, I hope he's not on his way to the manager's office" Sam now muttered to himself. He looked around to make sure no one else was a witness to his ….., and adjusted himself trying to ease the discomfort he was feeling; without much success. He moved his clothes to the dryer and started doing algebra equations in his head.

X

Amelia closed and locked the door Sam had left standing wide open. She wanted a shower in the worse way. She noticed one of Sam's T-shirts in the small pile of clean clothes on his bed. Tonight she would sleep in the shirt, for both of their sanity's. She got out the salt and lined the windows and door before stepping into the bathroom. She stepped under the spray of the shower before it had time to get warm. She knew the heat she was feeling had very little to do with the long summer day. The slowly warming water cascading down her body felt incredible. She turned and let the shower soak her hair and back. The tingle of the water hitting her felt like fingers running over her skin. Long, strong fingers slowly and delicately caressing every inch of her body. Her head snapped up as she started chanting to herself, "No. No. No." She quickly finished washing, stepped out to dry herself and was already reciting the periodic table in her head. She slipped into Sam's shirt that she had hung on the door hook. Even clean, it was imbedded with his scent. She continued listing the elements in order of atomic weight, out loud now, as she washed and dried her clothing.

This was going to be a problem. Amelia saw two roads open to them if they continued to ignore the attraction that was gaining in strength every night they spent together. Either they would pretend neither knew it existed until they destroyed their working relationship, which was absolutely out of the question; or they would let the unexpressed emotions build until they exploded in a moment, well, probably more like an hour or two, of earth-shattering passion. 'That is so not helping' she thought to herself.

The other path open to them was to talk about it, whatever_ it_ was. Amelia was pretty sure she knew what was happening to her. She was a being whose entire existence was related to love and creation. She had known passion for an entire planet and had enjoyed expressing that passion numerous times in the physical act of sharing the current body she possessed with a member of the opposite sex. And Sam Winchester was the nearly perfect definition of the human male. He was brave, intelligent, and compassionate and dedicated to those he loved. He was tall, lean and muscular. When he smiled, bringing out those dimples and a gleam in his eyes… 'again, so not helping'. "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen,…. "

X

Sam's clothes had been clean, dry, folded and sitting on the counter for over half an hour. He knew he had to go back to the room, eventually. He was always accusing Dean of holding stuff in. And he always told him it helped to talk things out. He knew they had to diffuse the time bomb they were pretending didn't exist. He couldn't go down that road again, he just couldn't. He'd made a lot of bad choices in sexual partners since Jess. 'Who are you kidding?' He said to himself. 'They weren't choices. You ignored your feelings until you lost all control, and it sent you into the arms of all the wrong women, and a demon. Look how that turned out.' He also remembered the year he was soulless. It was just the opposite of uncontrollable passion, just lots of women he used for his physical needs. 'Hell, I even took time to screw that hippie chick rather than look for Dean.' He didn't want to repeat either type of mistake.

'He was a Hunter, and a Winchester, damn it.' He stood and gathered his clothes in his arms. 'You're not going to let a little girl, a foot shorter and almost 10 years younger; well a younger woman possessed by an ancient goddess, make you afraid to go back to your room!' He stood there, waiting for his feet to get the message from his brain to start walking, when a bleary-eyed mother with a baby on her hip and bag of dirty clothes slung over her shoulder walked in.

Seeing the new mother reminded him he was on a job. He needed to find a new mother and five other people Dean had saved and convince them to help him free his brother from Purgatory. He steeled himself like he was going to go and confront his worst enemy. Maybe he was, himself; because he wanted Amelia so bad …'8 times 7 is 56, 8 times 8 is 64, 8 times 9 is72,…'

He walked back to their room and then remembered he hadn't taken his key with him. He turned sideways so he could tap on the door with his hands full of clothes. 'Crap. I've been gone a long time. I hope she hasn't gone to sle…..

The door swung open. "We need to talk." They both said in unison.

x

Amelia had let Sam into the room, closing the door behind him while he put his clothes down. He saw her bed was undisturbed, that meant she had been waiting for him. He turned to see her wearing his T-shirt. She looked down at herself, "I hope it was still okay to borrow a shirt?"

"Of course." He motioned for her to sit down as he headed for the small table and chairs, on the other side of the room from the beds. They both sat in silence for a minute, avoiding each other's gazes.

"Sam." "Amelia." They both started at the same time. They both paused but at least they were looking at each other.

"Me first." Sam took the plunge. "First; you've got to stay out of my head." She opened her mouth to respond but he held up a hand and cut her off. "I mean it. I can't always be worried your reading my thoughts and seeing what I'm….thinking about." He stopped and indicated it was her turn.

"It's too late to just stop seeing what you're thinking and feeling. What was that expression you used the other day, '_been there, done that_'?" She was trying; she really was, to not see into his mind. "Sam, knowing what the other is thinking isn't the problem. It's pretty obvious we both know what the other is thinking here."

"Okay. Yes. It seems like you're as attracted to me as I am to you." He reached out across the table and took her hands in his, but avoided her eyes. "But, Amelia, I can't do this now, I just can't!" He looked up at her. "If you've seen all my memories, you know why."

Amelia let out a long sigh. "Yes. I understand why you can't act on your feelings." She closed her eyes and shook her head. "But we can't pretend the feelings don't exist, either. It will drive us both crazy and demolish the working relationship we have built." She pulled her hands back. "Can I tell you my idea, now?"

"I'm not going to like this, am I?"

She smiled for the first since he came back into the room. "Sam, sex between two mutually agreeable partners doesn't have to be anything they don't want it to be." She stopped and took his hands this time. "It's not the thinking about having sex that is bothering us, it's the tension of ignoring the signals our bodies are sending us. And pretending we're not sexual beings." She squeezed his hands. "Are you following what I'm saying?" Her question took him by surprise. "You're going to have to talk to me, Sam. I'm doing my very best to stay out of your noggin', your melon, your custard, your…."

"Okay, okay. I get it. But, no I'm not following you. What are you saying?"

"Well, what I _want_ to say….. is that we have sex until there's not an ounce of tension left in either of us." As he jerked his hands back and started to protest, it was her turn to stop him. "But, I understand, you can't do that right now. So, we just need to find other ways to release the tension." He was already blushing deeply. "And we need to be honest about it with each other. Self-gratification is rarely as fulfilling but it gets the job done and beats reciting the periodic table of elements over and over again." She hadn't seen a human face that flushed, at least while _not_ engaged in the activity they had just agreed to not do, since; well, ever.

When he didn't say anything, she added. "We're also going to have to figure out when you do want me reading your mind; because you seemed to think it was pretty handy while we were at Cassie's." She made an expression he would call Dean's 'see, I told you so' face.

"Point taken. And you're right. About everything." When she remained silent this time, he said. "Multiplication tables."

"What?"

"When you get tired of the elements; try the multiplication table, or reciting the value of Pi. 3.1415926535….."

They smiled at each other. Neither was really happy with the outcome, but the opposing parties in peace treaties rarely were. "So, what do we do? Hang a sock on the door handle?"

She gave him a puzzled look. He sighed; he had asked her to stay out of his mind, and she was doing her best. So, now he'd have to start explaining more of his jokes.

X

After he had explained the sock joke, they had actually discussed how one of them would let the other know when they needed some alone time to,…he still couldn't believe he had actually discussed a masturbation protocol. He didn't want Dean where he was, but he was glad he hadn't been here for that. And he'd made it clear to Amelia that if Dean ever heard about this…

He was currently drying off after his shower; during which he had _relieved his tension_. That was the term he had agreed to. Amelia had gone all 'your Judeo-Christian morality has seriously impaired most of you from being able to enjoy a beautiful and natural act' during the discussion. He had heard Dean say that exact expression on more than one occasion. At least Amelia believed it and didn't have the same smirk on her face that Dean did when he said it.

They had also agreed there had to be some kind of signal between them for when one of them was 'not to be disturbed'. Amelia was right about having a signal for when he did want her to read his mind, too. They hadn't figured that one out yet. After drying and dressing in his sleeping gear, he had sat down on the toilet seat. He was currently waiting for Amelia to signal him he could come back into the room. If she didn't finish soon, or if she got any louder, he was going to have to take another shower.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X

Author's Note: The last couple of chapters got a little side-tracked with the relationship between Sam and Amelia; tomorrow, back to the quest to save Dean.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 22

They both slept soundly after the long day and their tension relieving sessions. Sam wasn't completely sure their plan would work, but he did feel more relaxed than he had since first seeing Amelia at Bobby's. While Sam went to the office to grab some breakfast, Amelia gathered the papers and his laptop; they reviewed the information they had on Charlie while eating their breakfast.

Charlie Michaels and her husband, James, had moved to Columbus after marrying and both worked for the state. She had studied Social Work and worked in the Child Protective Services office. Cassie had found an article in her school paper where she cited a childhood incident had led her to want to protect children. Sam guessed she wasn't completely untouched by her encounter with the vengeful spirit; but she had turned into a positive and was trying to make the world, or at least the state of Ohio, a safer place for kids. He wasn't an ancient god, but was pretty sure that made her a good candidate to help Dean.

Sam thought it would be safer if they avoided being around government buildings while trying to find her office. There would be more security personnel and cameras than they could chance. It was still early, so he thought he'd try her home number first. He dialed the number then handed the phone to Amelia. It was another habit they were developing, using her ability to determine the truth over the phone.

"Hello?" A male voice answered the phone..

"Is Charlie there?" She asked as airily as if she was calling her BFF. Amelia looked at Sam with her brows furrowed, not understanding the 'BFF' thought. They had already established was one of those occasions where mind-reading would be a good idea. 'I'll explain it later', he thought for her benefit.

"Hang on, she's just getting out of the bathroom." Amelia could hear his voice call out away from the phone. "Charlie? Honey, you've got a call."

"Who is it?" A female voice replied.

"Uh? I think it's one of your girlfriends." The male voice returned to the phone. "May I ask whose calling?"

"It's Amelia. I'm a friend of Sam." It was vague but the truth. "An old friend." Okay, that was stretching things a little.

Several seconds passed before an obviously harried woman's voice answered. "Sam. Sam who?" Amelia handed the phone to Sam, nodding that it was indeed the young woman they were seeking and not a demon, shifter or Levi.

"Charlie? It's Sam Winchester." He knew that would take a second to sink in, so he paused. He wasn't expecting her to drop the phone; or hear her retching, and then a brief conversation in the background.

"Hey. You still there?" The male voice came back on the line.

"Yes. Is she okay?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. It's just the morning sickness." The male voice said.

X

Sam regained his coherency after it dawned on him that Charlie was pregnant. Sam had asked if Charlie could meet him somewhere this morning. Her husband, Jim, had acted as go-between until she could talk again. To say she was shocked to hear from Sam was a massive understatement. But she did remember him and agreed to meet him. When he explained he wouldn't be able to get through the metal detectors at the entry to her building, she suggested a coffee shop on her route to work.

x

They made it to the shop before Charlie. Sam had stepped into the restroom of the café, when a pretty blonde woman came through the door. Amelia almost gasped when she saw the glow of the healthy baby she was carrying. Despite being back among humans for over a month, she hadn't encountered such a beautiful example of life renewing itself. She could feel the joy, of knowing her work was being carried on so perfectly, spreading a glorious warmth out from her core. She sat there admiring her legacy, when she felt Sam's hand on her shoulder.

"Amelia" He whispered in her ear. "Tone it down. You're starting to glow." She snapped out of her trance, as Sam waved at Charlie to get her attention. They stared at each other for several seconds. Both of them had grown up a great deal in the nearly seven years since they had seen each other. She eventually wove her way through the tables towards him. When she spotted Amelia, she stopped for a second to look at the unknown face, having been expecting to see another man.

Sam extended his hand to shake. "Charlie. Thanks for coming." She took his hand, still looking at Amelia. "This is my friend, Amelia." Amelia stuck her hand out and Charlie took her hand. All of Charlie's uncertainty disappeared the second she touched Amelia's hand. They smiled at each other, as Sam pulled out a chair for her. As she sat down, Charlie noticed all of her nausea was gone.

Despite their long discussion on what to say when they met the young woman, neither Sam nor Amelia knew how to start this conversation. They had agreed this was also one of the occasions where mind-reading was necessary. 'Well? Do you and Apsu think she'll be okay' Sam asked Amelia with his thoughts. She nodded her head. The exchange hadn't taken long, but long enough had Charlie gotten tired of waiting.

"So, Sam? What can I do for you?"

"Charlie, we need your help."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo OOOooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooOoooooooooooo ooooooooooooooOooooooooooooo oooooooooooooOooooooooo

"What do you mean 'that went well'?" Sam asked Amelia somewhat heatedly as they got back to their motel room.

After glaring at him for the tone of voice, she replied. "She agreed to help in any way possible. And, she's pregnant." She paused and looked at Sam like it should be obvious why that was good news. "She said you could have some breast milk as soon as the baby was born."

"In _SEVEN God-damned months_!" This time it wasn't just heated, it was obvious he was frustrated beyond reason. "I can't wait another seven months to get Dean out of Purgatory! I'm no closer to getting him out of there than I was before I found; okay, you found me, a week ago."

Amelia said nothing. She let him storm around the room until he cooled down. After he finally sat down on the foot of his bed, she sat on hers and faced him. "I'm sorry. What I meant when I said it went well was that she was willing to help us with no hesitation. Just like Cassie was." She reached across the space and took one of his hands. "It's just like Missouri and I promised, they'll all want to help save Dean."

"But if we can't find a nursing mother; it won't matter if we find everybody we ever met!" She was trying to block out the despair emanating from him. She gave up, stood and took the step to cross the space between them and then wrapped him in her arms. She reached up to stroke his hair, but he pulled away after the second brush.

"Don't." He looked at her like she had betrayed him. "Dean used to do that when I was a kid." He touched his hair, like he was trying to erase her touch. "You said you wouldn't invade my memories anymore."

She was hurt by his reaction, but even without reading his thoughts she knew he was lashing out because of his fear. "Sam, honey. That's how I've always tried to soothe all my children." She sat back down on her bed and looked at the floor. "That Dean did it too, only tells me how much he loved you. Nobody wants to see a loved one suffer." She raised her head to look at him and saw the tears he was trying to hold back. She stood and embraced him again. This time he hugged her back and they just stayed there rocking back and forth slightly.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 23

After his little tantrum, Sam decided Amelia may be right. Charlie may not be their nursing mother; but she was a definite fourth person willing to help save Dean. That meant they were over half way there. They still had a full day to get to Canton and make contact with Jody. Canton was less than a half day's drive from Columbus. It didn't give them enough time to drive to Wisconsin to find either of the boys, well, young men now, he was sure would be willing to help. He told Amelia he thought he'd use the time to try calling them.

She asked him why he felt so strongly about these two boys. Sam thought about it; it was a valid question. It had been over six years since they had seen either of them. Years they would have grown from pre-teen boys, whose lives had been drastically interrupted, into young men on the threshold of their adult lives. How could he be sure they hadn't fallen victim to the normal trials and tribulations of adolescence? How could he be sure what had happened to them hadn't sent them down the wrong paths?

Sam told Amelia he knew these boys would help Dean because his brother had saved more than just their lives, he had shown them what a real man could do with his life; and it had nothing to do with breaking down doors, guns, vengeful spirits or shtrigas.

"Lucas Barr was a broken little boy when we arrived in Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin." Sam paused remembering seeing the pain in his little face. Amelia didn't ask for details, she'd let Sam tell his story in his own way and time. "He had been mute since seeing his father killed by the spirit, and was trapped in his mind with the horrible images of another young boy's murder. While we there, the spirit killed two more people and tried to kill his mother." He stopped, remembering the terror on Lucas' face, trying to tell them what was happening but unable to cry for help for his drowning mother.

"Dean was able to get through to him. Able to show him a hero wasn't the guy with the cocky grin and a gun, a hero was the guy who did what had to be done to save other people's lives.' He looked up at Amelia. "Lucas was talking, smiling and" Sam rolled his eyes and shook his head "listening to Led Zepplin when we left." He smiled at her and added. "According to the local paper, Lucas is a strong, healthy, well-liked young man. He's a living a good life and is going to do good things, and it's because of Dean Winchester." Sam's pride in his big brother was practically radiating out of him.

"And even though the rest of the world will never know how or why he overcame the trauma of his childhood, Lucas does. He won't help us out of sense of obligation; he knows we never expect to be repaid for what we do. He'll help us because we need him to and it's what Dean would do."

"And the other young man, Michael?" Amelia asked after a minute.

It took Sam a few minutes to find a way to start telling her that story. "He started out nothing like Lucas. Mike was a _Dean junior_; a self-confident smart-ass except with no bigger concerns than making sure his little brother didn't change the TV channel when he got up." She wasn't reading his mind, but she remembered seeing how _close to home_ these boy's lives had been for Dean and Sam. And how personal it had been for Dean to stop this monster. And even now, she could see on Sam's face, how hard this job had been for the both of them. She sat silently and waited for him to go on.

"Our dad had sent us to Fitchburg because he had figured out it was the same shtirga that had almost got me when I was little kid. I didn't remember any of it, but Dean did." He stood, and paced back and forth, unable to sit still while retelling the story. "When the thing grabbed Mike's little brother; Dean became a man possessed. Mike was a reflection of himself, a devoted big brother who had failed in his only real purpose in life, _to_ _protect his brother_." He sat down to face Amelia. "He wanted to use Mike as bait. I wasn't sure, but Dean knew. He knew Mike needed to do it, to be part of killing the thing that hurt his brother, to be part of saving his bratty kid brother." Only someone with such a devoted sibling could appreciate the love behind being called a brat by their older brother.

Amelia wasn't sure which she admired more from the recitations Sam had just finished. The true heroics of the man she was going to bring back or the absolute devotion of the man she already knew and loved. She had already known Dean and Sam had grown up saving the lives, the flesh and bone, the physical existences of all these people. Now she understood how they saved the _lives_, the heart and souls, the happiness and futures of so many of these people. Sam was right about these boys. And Cassie. And Jody. And she also knew they would find everyone they needed to activate Apsu's power and get Dean out of Purgatory. There was no way she was going to fail these boys.

X

It was lunch time when Sam finished sharing his thoughts about Mike and Lucas. Amelia wanted to go for a walk, to get something to eat and some fresh air on a sun-filled summer afternoon. Sam knew it wasn't smart to be parading around a large city, a state capital filled with all levels of law-enforcement, with his criminal history and Amelia's status as …..well, whatever. He knew she was too recognizable for her escape from Spokane and trek across the country, to just _go get some fresh air. _They had been lucky so far that she hadn't been spotted at any of the stops they had made.

But, it did give him an idea. He told her to stay put for an hour and he'd bring back lunch. She knew there was something he was hiding, just from his goofy expression. She had promised to not routinely read his mind, but she wanted to, really wanted to. She was not used to being surprised and really didn't like it much.

Sam had been gone about an hour and a half and Amelia was starting to be concerned. She knew if he was in trouble she would sense it. She was debating trying to sense his whereabouts when there was a light knock on the door.

"It's me, open the door." Sam's voice called quietly from outside.

Amelia knew he had taken his key this time and quickly wondered why he couldn't open the door. She unlocked and opened the door to find Sam standing there with his arms loaded with bags. She stepped back, letting him into the room. She was hungry and could smell the food. She could also smell…. the scents of several other people.

"You must have had to wait with a lot of other people. I can smell at least ten others on…." She paused and took a couple of sniffs. "Wait, the scents aren't on you, they're coming from those bags."

Sam had sat the bags down while she was talking. A smaller paper bag with the food was on the table, the other, larger plastic bags he had put on her bed. He opened the first bag and pulled out a shirt and pair of jeans. "I know you don't care about clothes, but you need more than that one dress. I hope these fit."

"You bought me clothes?" Amelia said quietly, looking between Sam and the items he was displaying.

"Yeah." He put the pieces he was holding down and reached into the bag and pulled out a pair of sneakers. "And some practical shoes. Those thongs won't be very helpful if we ever have to 'make a run for it'." He sat the shoes down and was reaching for the other bag.

"Stop." She said even quieter than her last statement. Sam turned to look at her, and saw an unreadable expression on her face.

"What's wrong?"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 24

"Amelia, what's wrong?" He repeated when she had just stood there, for over a minute now.

She was speechless. In the surprise of what he had done, she forget to block out his thoughts and feelings. Amelia's mind was being flooded emotions from his mind. They were a swirling, confusing mass of pride and accomplishment for getting her 'something practical that she needed' and there was pure happiness at 'doing something nice for a friend'. She saw he little experience at buying and giving presents just for the joy it provided the giver. This act had given him a brief period of the normalcy he had always wanted when he was younger.

Amelia really didn't care what she wore, but conceded her light-weight dress and sandals were not very practical for the quest she was undertaking. She found the smell of so many people on the items upsetting though. But she could take care of that. She finally looked at Sam and smiled. "Thank you." She gathered everything he had set down on her bed and started for the bathroom.

"You want to eat first, while the food is still warm?" He asked as she was walking away.

"No. You go ahead. I'll be out in a few minutes." With that she closed the door behind her. She immediately set to cleaning everything enough she could stand to have them next to her skin. As she finished pulling things out of the bags she discovered he was both very thorough, he had remembered socks and underwear; and that his _Hunter's eye_ had determined her sizes very closely. She had thought the images she had seen from his mind of her being naked had been from the other morning, but as she pulled out the lacy underpants she realized he had been visualizing her in the pretty garment.

She tried to clamp down on both his thoughts and the reaction they had caused in her, but it was too late. She was sure they would both need a _tension relieving session_ before going to bed tonight.

After Amelia had ducked into the bathroom, Sam had sat down and dug out the food he had gotten. He had discovered a German village on his way back from the thrift store. He rarely had an opportunity to eat anything like this. If it didn't come from a drive-through window or from a mini-mart, well at least before the leviathans, Dean usually wasn't interested. As he was enjoying the food, his thoughts drifted to how Amelia would look in the clothes he had picked out for her. And then they drifted to how she would look out of them. 'Crap' he thought to himself. He was going to need to put a sock on the bathroom door for awhile tonight.

X

It took her an hour to clean and try on all the clothes Sam had bought. Amelia finally emerged from the bathroom wearing a pair of the jeans, a sky blue T-shirt and the shoes. The jeans were a touch too big and the shirt a little short, but they were comfortable. She had the rest of the clothes neatly folded and set them back on her bed. "I couldn't figure out what to do with this?" She said, turning to Sam and holding a hair clip.

"It's a hair clip, to gather your hair up on your head." He took the clip from her hand. "I can show you?"

"I guess. Why would I want to put my hair up?" She asked as he stepped behind her and started gathering and twisting her hair. The feeling of Sam running his fingers through her hair made it hard for her to concentrate.

"We need to change your appearance, make you harder to recognize." He said as he finished clipping her hair. "It was the other reason I picked up the clothes." She turned to look in the mirror, a frown forming on her face. "If you don't like it, we could cut, or even color, your hair."

"No!" She turned to look at him, utterly aghast.

She calmed down quickly. "Sam. Amelia Stone has leant me her body; but it is her body and I won't make any changes to it." As she was speaking she reached her arms up to remove the clip; as she did her shirt rode up and the jeans slid down exposing the top of the tattoo Sam had seen earlier. Amelia looked down following his gaze. A small smile crossed her lips. "Would you like to see the rest of it?" Sam just looked up, with a slight blush at being caught looking. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." She said in a teasing voice.

Before Sam could answer, Amelia stomach growled reminding them she hadn't eaten yet. They looked over at the table and remnants of the lunch Sam had picked up. She turned an accusing stare on him after seeing only a few bites left. "Sorry. You took so long, and I was starving." He said looking very quilty. "Hey. It's cold anyway. How about we go for that walk you wanted to take, and get you something to eat."

Her beaming smile let him know he was forgiven. They started for the door, when she stopped and went back to the table. She picked up the rubber band that had been around the take-out container and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "Does that help?" She asked him. She knew he was only trying to protect her when he said she should change Amelia's hair.

He studied her overall appearance. She really didn't look anything like the woman from the videos posted on the internet. "You're good." As if in agreement, her stomach rumbled again. "Let's go."

X

They were walking around the Topiary garden in downtown Columbus after they had found something for Amelia to eat. She was enjoying the warm summer breeze and the relaxing sensation of strolling through the greenery. She wasn't so sure about the drastic shaping of the topiary bushes but could appreciate the skill and humor of the gardeners. Even Sam seemed to be at ease and not bothered by the slight delay in their plan.

When they found a spot with no one else around, she asked. "Do you want to know about the tattoo? And why I can't, well, I won't change Amelia's hair?"

Sam realized she was offering him a look inside an ancient and secret culture. In all his years of hunting; he didn't know anybody who had heard about the families devoted to being prepared for Mother Nature. "Yes, if you want to tell me."

"She has given me her body to use as I desire because she knows I will take care of it; and will give it back the same way I found it. As I told you, Amelia spent her most of her life waiting and preparing for my possible arrival. Just as her mother and grandmothers before her. The tattoo is given to the girls who complete all the training and make the promise to commit their entire bodies to my service." She stopped, trying to think of a way to further explain the depth of the devotion of these women. "You could compare it to a nun taking her final vows." She turned to look at him, to see if he understood all that meant.

He didn't really have any questions; he understood devotion to a calling. And he also had a tattoo to prove it. So he just said. "Uh huh."

"Sam. I don't think you understand what that means to her." She looked at him intensely. "The tattoo is placed on the lower abdomen, over the uterus." She placed her hand over her lower abdomen. "The placement isn't random. It shows they are connected the original giver of life." His gaze had followed her hand. She brought her hand up and lifted his chin, to look at her face. "When she says she is willing to give her _entire_ body, she means it." He just stared at her. "_Making love while hosting the goddess is the greatest honor that can be achieved_." She had closed her eyes and recited it like she had the incantation for the amulet.

Neither of them said anything for several minutes. Finally, Amelia had to make sure he understood the point of telling him something no one knew, except for the generations of women awaiting her arrival. "Sam, I understand why you thought it wouldn't be right to have sex with me, in Amelia's body; but she was 'prepared for the gig and it _is_ what she signed up for'. " She smiled at him and added a final statement. "When, or if, you're ready."

They walked back to the motel without talking. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence; just neither had anything more to say on the subject. It didn't mean Sam didn't have a million different thoughts and emotions spinning through his head. Amelia had basically given him _a written invitation_ of have sex with her. She talked about sex almost as much as Dean; but it there wasn't any other similarity between the two. When Amelia said things like 'beautiful and natural act', she meant it. There was no innuendo or lasciviousness. It was strange; Dean had always joked about him being repressed because he hadn't wanted to talk about sex. Amelia, and her honest and frank discussions about sex and her open declarations of her desire for him, made him feel at ease with a topic that he had always considered difficult. But nothing Amelia had said had changed his mind about sleeping with her either.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 25

By the time they got back to the motel they had decided to spend another night in Columbus and get an early start for Canton in the morning. Sam hoped Jody had made it out of Sioux Falls, and South Dakota, without too much trouble and was safe. And that she was on her way to their arranged meeting place.

This quest to save Dean was a new experience for him. The Winchesters had never had much of anybody but themselves, and Bobby the last few years, to rely on. They had never really missed a support network over the years; they had each other. After losing Bobby it became painfully clear how void of relationships their lives have been. But now, here he was trying to organize a small army of people to save his brother. He wasn't used to asking for help; this time his brother's life depended on it.

After taking the afternoon off to walk with Amelia; he decided to get some research done before dinner. He opened his laptop and found an e-mail from Cassie. "Oh My God!" He cried out.

"What?" Amelia asked in concern. She didn't want to admit his excitement had blasted into her mind unbidden.

"Cassie found Haley." He looked at her, too excited to notice her expression. "I couldn't find her in Colorado because she got married and changed her name." He glanced back at the screen. "Holy crap. She's living near Toledo!" He looked back at the computer. "And here's the best part, Cassie found the announcement of the birth of her first child!" He jumped up from the table, picked Amelia up and swung her around in his excitement. She flung her arms around his neck to hang on. As he stopped spinning, it dawned on him what he was doing. He carefully let her slip back to the floor. But before he let go of her he gave her one of his beautiful, full dimpled smiles. Amelia let out a long sigh as he released her and went back to his computer.

"See, I told you we would find everyone we needed." She paused, realizing she had no idea how far away the young mother was. "Is Toledo close?"

"It's half a day's drive north." He looked up from his screen at her; still smiling, although the dimples had disappeared.

Amelia walked over and sat at the table with Sam. "Tell me about Haley, which one is she?"

X

They changed their plans after learning Haley was in Toledo. They would drive up tonight and contact her in the morning. It wasn't a huge detour; they would still make it to Canton to meet Jody as planned.

They quickly started packing their gear. Sam smiled at the thought it was _their_ gear this time. Amelia actually had a few things of her own now. Except, it suddenly dawned on him, she didn't have any toiletries. He really should get her a toothbrush and some other stuff. That made him wonder what she was using now. He looked up at her and she smiled at him as she went to the bathroom. He wasn't sure what it meant. If it had been Dean, it would have meant he had been using his toothbrush; or something worse. He shuddered at that thought. But then he figured, it shouldn't be _too_ bad, if he was sharing a toothbrush with Mother Nature. He heard her giggle quietly from the bathroom. He really hoped she hadn't heard all that…..

They had decided to have dinner when they got to Toledo; with the full tank of gas, Sam said they could get there in a few hours without having to stop. The Interstate highways connecting Columbus and Toledo would take them back west before going north; so, Sam took the state highways once he got out the greater Columbus area. As soon as they had cleared the suburban sprawl and were on the open road, Amelia repeated her question. "Who is Haley?"

Sam thought back to the first case he and Dean had worked together after he had left Stanford, and after Jessica's death. He had been an emotional wreck; angry at himself and the world. He didn't recognize it at the time, but he had fallen back into Hunting effortlessly, like it was what he was meant to do. He couldn't imagine his life any other way now.

"Sam?" Amelia called his name, bringing him out of his soul-searching. "Tell me about Haley?"

"Haley Collins and her brother Ben were trying to find their other brother Tom, who had disappeared in a remote wilderness hiking area." He smiled at her as thanks for bringing him out of his funk. "Our dad had sent us the coordinates to the same area. He was amazing, my dad. He could take a set of random facts and put them together as having a supernatural origin better than any Hunter on the planet." Amelia couldn't tell if she could hear the pride for his father in Sam's voice or heard it in his mind; but she could see the small smile on his face, either way.

"It turned out there was Wendigo living and killing people in that forest for decades. Dean and I found her brother and Dean killed the thing." He glanced over at her. "Haley was this amazingly strong girl. She wasn't going to stop until we found her brother." He paused for a second. "Maybe that's why she felt so special, she was just like us. There was nothing more important to her than her family. I know she'll help, because Dean gave her back what she valued most, her brothers." He smiled. "Of course, Dean managed to hit on her the second we were all safe."

Sam looked down to his chest. "He's humming. I guess that means Apsu likes the story?"

Amelia smiled back at him. "Watch it buddy. I'm supposed to be his translator." She was joking with him; but was glad he was starting to feel comfortable with the talisman's power. "But, I think you're probably right." They watched the countryside pass by their windows for a few minutes. "Toledo seems like a big change for a mountain-hiking girl from Colorado. Did Cassie have anything else to say?"

"You know, I thought so too." He glanced up at her before continuing. "I was worried she might have really changed, making such a big move." Now he smiled. "Turns out she became an engineer, in solar energy technology. She works at Bowling Green University because of the research they do there."

Amelia whole-heartedly approved of anything and anyone that wanted to help protect her planet. "Did Cassie know anything about the man she married? Where is he from, what does he do? Or if the baby was a girl or a boy? What's it's name?"

Sam just turned and stared at her for a second. He smiled as he turned back to the road. "Geez. Anything else you want to know?" He said while chuckling at her. She gave him one of her non-lethal glares and then smiled back at him. "I don't remember all the details; but, he works for the Arboretum. I don't think she knew where he was from. His name is…Robert…Parks. The announcement said the baby was a girl, but no name was listed." He stopped his recitation of the information he could remember from Cassie's note. He looked over to Amelia and noticed the concerned look on her face. "What's wrong? A guy who helps save trees should be right up your alley."

She looked puzzled for second, not understanding which alley Sam was speaking about; but guessed it was some slang she was unfamiliar with. "No, no. I do like that Haley chose someone like herself, someone working to help preserve the natural beauty and resources I put here." She paused, still looking concerned. "Do you think Haley told him about the wendigo and what she went through?"

"I don't know; I doubt it." He looked at her again, not understanding why she was concerned. "We've found most people don't, at least not more than once. They usually get treated like they're crazy if they talk about monsters. Why?"

"I was just picturing how we explain to her husband why we need some of Haley's milk?"

"Crap."


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 26

They were about 50 miles out, near Fostoria, Ohio; getting ready to head west and catch the I-75 north to Bowling Green and Toledo. The drive north was going well until Sam changed the radio station to check for local traffic conditions in greater Toledo area. The news was filled with reports, out of Columbus, of sightings of "Amelia" the mystery woman from Spokane. The details were sketchy, but apparently several people claimed to have seen her in a coffee shop that morning. At least two said they saw her glowing. The reporter finished by saying the local police and the FBI were investigating the reports.

"This is bad, isn't it?" Amelia asked as Sam turned off the radio.

He took several seconds before responding to her. "We'll be okay. I just hope they don't find Charlie."

"You're worried she'll tell them about us?"

He looked at her with a surprised and questioning look. "No. The stress of being questioned by the police won't be good for her or the baby."

She felt humiliated that she hadn't thought of the danger to the young expectant mother. It wasn't a feeling she had experienced often. She also didn't think it was possible, but she admired the noble young man even more. She couldn't think of anything to say.

Sam noticed her silence. "Amelia? Really, we'll be okay. If there's anything a Winchester knows how to do, it's how to evade the police." He said trying to ease what he assumed was her worried mind.

She gave him a weak smile. Amelia didn't want to tell him her concern and quietness wasn't related to their safety. She was beginning to think maybe her eagerness to help these two heroic young men was clouding her judgment. And she knew her admiration of him, 'who was she kidding', her longing for Sam was making her just plain stupid. She had been in love before; but she'd never let her personal feelings get in the way of her purpose. Why was Sam affecting her so deeply?

It suddenly occurred to her; maybe _the One_ knew this would happen. Maybe she had been brought out to test her character as much as to help save Dean and the planet. That actually made a lot of sense. When had _the One_ really given a rat's ass about her pretty little planet and its inhabitants? Mother Nature also wondered if Amelia Stone was more than just another vessel or randomly chosen acolyte. Was Amelia Stone's personality so strong it was affecting her? If this little girl's desires were making their presence felt, was it part of the test?

Okay. Now she was mad. She wasn't sure if it was because she was being tested, again; or that she thought she was failing the test. She finally responded to Sam's concern. "I know we will." She gave him a real smile this time. "I was kicking myself for not thinking about Charlie's safety." She also decided she needed to start acting like the powerful goddess she was. "Sam, can you find me a secluded spot and stop the car?"

He glanced at her with concern. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I am." She responded in strange, confident tone he hadn't heard her use before. " I just need to take care of something before we get into the city."

X

Sam took the first turn he thought looked like it might lead to a deserted piece of real estate. It took him another half an hour to find a spot Amelia approved of. "Sam, do you trust me?" She asked in that strange tone of voice. He nodded. "I you need to wait here in the car." She said as she quickly got out of the SUV.

It took him a about second to respond to that. "Are you kidding me?" He said as he started reaching to open his door. Amelia snapped her fingers as she looked back at him. Sam could hear the all lock mechanisms on the vehicle click into place. He knew he couldn't open the door, but tried anyway. "Amelia? Wait, where are you going?" He shouted at her back as she walked away from the car.

X

She walked into a clearing and found the stream she had sensed was there. She would need the water as a conductor for what she intended to do. Mother Nature took a deep breath and deliberated her plans once more. Maybe she was over-reacting. She closed her eyes and searched through her and Amelia's combined minds. There was definitely something very special about this young woman. She smiled at the future she saw for Amelia; and was just a touch envious of the long and happy life she had in front of her. Mother Nature would go back to her lonely non-existence, waiting to be called forth for some other crisis. That was her test; remembering she was not here to seek refuge from her long waits or to find happiness in the arms of a loving man.

Her resolve replaced, she knew what she had to do. It was a little dangerous but needed to be done for the long-term safety of all the humans she was putting at risk. She took off the clothes Sam had bought her and stepped into the water of the stream. She took one more deep breath before dropping the shield hiding her identity and power. She raised her hands to the sky and started reciting the words to the enchantment she was creating. The wind picked up and ominous clouds quickly started forming. The water of the stream started swirling up around her, climbing high into the air. 'Here goes nothing' she thought to herself.

X

Sam didn't know if he was more pissed that Amelia had locked him in car; or anxious because she was going to do something so dangerous she thought he needed to be left behind. Either way, nobody, including frustrating goddesses, kept a Winchester locked up for long. Kicking out the glass in the sunroof was kind of a desperate last resort, but it got him out of the SUV in about ten minutes.

He could hear the sound of rushing water as he noticed the storm clouds forming. He looked up to see a column of water rising high over the tops of the trees. There was a glow in the center of what looked like a small hurricane rising from the stream bed just in front of him. Sam couldn't see Amelia through the swirling water, but he knew she was in there. He also knew he better take cover before she did whatever it was she was getting ready to do. He dropped to the ground behind a large rock just as several enormous bolts of lightning struck the column of water.

X

She had found him behind the rock as soon as the explosion of water particles had cleared. She had checked to make sure he wasn't hurt. She saw he would have a wicked headache, again, but that he was fine. She went over to her soaking wet clothes, dried them off quickly and redressed.

"Sam?" Amelia lightly shook his shoulders. "Sam. Sam, can you hear me?" She saw his eyes flutter open. "You know, someday you're going to start believing me when I say to stay in the car." She said as she went back to finish putting her shoes on.

"What?" He yelled back at her.

She walked back to the rock she had propped him up against. She touched the sides of his head and stopped the ringing in his ears. "I said..…" She stopped, seeing the anger and confusion on his face. "Sam, I'm sorry. I wanted you to stay in the car to save you from going through this again." She brushed her hand over his forehead and eased the headache. She reached down to help him up, but he pushed away her hands and slowly got up by himself.

Once he was upright, he asked. "What the hell was that?" When she didn't answer quickly enough, he added. "We're trying to NOT draw attention to our whereabouts. They could've seen that, whatever_ that_ was, from space. Dammit."

"You want me to explain now, or are you going to keep wasting time and yelling at me?" Her tone let him know he was done and to shut up. He was still angry but didn't say anything else. "Well, first, you're right, I'm sure somebody and/or something will have seen that; so, second, we need to get back to the car and away from here." She said as she started walking back towards the SUV.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 27

For the third time in a week Sam was making a sudden get-a-way after one of Amelia's less than subtle displays of power. He was still angry and worried; but now he was also confused. He didn't know what had happened to make her change so much, and hoped it wasn't something he had said; but she seemed very different. He trotted behind her and got back to the car just in time to get an angry glare when she saw the broken-out sunroof. He watched as she waved her hand, the doors popped open and most of the broken glass was removed from the car after she took a deep breath and directed a very precise gust of air at the seats.

He climbed back into the Tahoe as she was closing her door, slamming would be more accurate, he decided. They were back on the two-lane black top in less than five minutes. Amelia didn't say a word, despite her earlier pledge to explain. Sam had no idea what was going on, but he knew enough not to push her for details. 'Crap', he hoped she wasn't reading his mind because he knew she wouldn't be happy with what he was thinking right now. He risked a glance at her and saw she had her eyes closed and seemed totally unaware of his turmoil.

She opened her eyes as Sam steered them onto the interstate, and her face seemed more relaxed but still said nothing. He drove through Bowling Green. He had decided to find a motel on the north side of the college town, figuring Haley and her husband might live between the two different cities where they worked. Sam found a decent motel and checked them in, while Amelia waited in the car. He parked the SUV as close to the room as possible, got out and grabbed the duffels. He had unlocked the door and dropped the bags when he turned to see she was still just sitting in the car.

'Enough of this bullshit' He thought to himself. 'AMELIA.' He screamed with his mind. She had said she couldn't block out his thoughts when his emotions were raging. Raging would be an accurate description of his current emotion. He saw her look up at him; she opened her door and walked into the room. She just walked over and sat down on the bed next to the bathroom. As she walked past him, he noticed her eyes were moist with unshed tears.

'Dammit.' All his anger dissipated, and his desire to start yelling at her for answers was gone. He was completely lost for what was wrong and what to do. He closed the door, got out the salt and lined the windows and door. She just sat there staring straight ahead. He kicked off his shoes and walked over to her. He bent down and took off her shoes, and she finally seemed to see him. He stood her up, walked her to the side of the bed and then laid her back down. He turned out the lights. Then Sam lay down next to her and wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close to his chest. They just lay there quietly. After a few minutes, he felt her shudder slightly and moisture soak into his shirt.

X

Sam woke to the aroma of coffee and what smelled like fresh muffins. He knew Amelia wasn't still next him even before he opened his eyes because he was kind of cold. He rolled over as he opened his eyes, to see a huge steaming cup of coffee and a couple of muffins with butter still melting on top of them, sitting on the bedside table. He looked around the room and didn't see Amelia anywhere. He didn't hear the shower running and started to worry. Had she been so upset, she had taken off on him? He looked again and noticed the door was open a crack. He got up and opened the door to find Amelia sitting on the step feeding several birds and squirrels pieces of another muffin.

"I'm sorry, Sam." Was all she said as she stood and walked back into the room.

He followed her back inside and closed the door. "Can you tell me what happened?"

She turned to look at him. "I've said this so many times, you have to be tired of it. But, it really is too complicated, and some of it I'm not sure I understand." He just looked back her. "Get your coffee and I'll do my best."

She sat at the table and Sam sat opposite of her after grabbing his coffee and muffins. "The ritual last night will be easier to explain." She stopped to make sure that he was okay with her starting there. "When you said you were worried about the stress on Charlie and her baby; it occurred to me that should have been my reaction. " She paused for a second and shook her head. "That's my primary purpose for existing, protecting life and nurturing the procreation of the species."

He started to say something reassuring but she raised her hand to stop him. "Sam. I still want to, and will, help you get Dean out of Purgatory; but I can't let others come to harm while we're doing it." She paused briefly. "Last night, I decided to cast a protection shield over everyone who has come in contact with me since the night we met."

She stopped, like that explained everything. "I think I'm going to want a little more detail here." Sam said.

"I know you do." She nodded before continuing. "But, you're not going to like most of it."

X

It had only taken her 10 minutes to explain the basics of the ritual she had performed last night. She had embedded the water molecules around her with a shielding spell and then used her power to disperse the molecules, sending the protection to Charlie; and Jody, Missouri, Cassie and Haley, too. Sam had sat quietly listening to her narrate what she had done and why. When she started to say he 'was lucky he wasn't hurt and that's why she wanted him to wait in the car', he couldn't take it anymore.

"Are you kidding me? That's what you're worried about?" He had stood up to emphasize his displeasure. "Can I assume you had to drop more than just your clothes?" He added sarcastically. And it was his turn to raise his hand to stop her from speaking. "You had to lower your identity shield, didn't you?" He didn't wait, but she nodded anyway. "How long was it down; 10, 20 minutes, the whole time?" He stopped her before she could answer. "Not that it matters, does it? There's no way a burst of supernatural power that big escaped Crowley's attention. And if the feds already thought you were in the area, this will just make start Jonesing to find you even more." He finally stopped his ranting at her.

"Are you done?" It was her turn to be sarcastic. He plopped down in his chair, conceding it was her turn to talk again. "Don't you think I understand the risks involved? But you must see I couldn't keep ignoring the jeopardy these people were in because of me." She paused, hoping he was calm enough to see the truth in what she was saying. "I had to do this. Sam." She decided to give him an abridged version of other reason. "My being here is a test of my character, a test I was failing by putting those women in unnecessary danger. Their safety is more important than my being found out."

She thought about trying to lighten the mood by telling him it was his fault; that she had been so distracted by her feelings for him… but she knew this wasn't the time or place for jokes. And she could see from the expression on his face, he was starting to understand why she had had no choice. Besides, she had more bad news for him. "I hate to say this, but there's actually more you need to know."

"Yeah, it figures." He said slumping back in his chair. "I'm not going to like this either, am I?' She shook her head.

"The spell makes them basically forget meeting me. They'll kind of remember my face, if shown a picture. But, if they are questioned by police, they can say in all truthfulness they have no idea who I was. I was just some stranger they may have been seen talking to."

He knew there was more and just said. "Uh huh."

"And the protection shields completely hide them from supernatural beings, like demons."

"And?" He knew her well enough to know she was stalling giving him the bad news."

"The shielding creates kind of _mystical dead space_ around them. The demons won't be able to find your friends or know what's causing the void, but they'll be able to sense the voids are there. If they are out there looking for the cause of the burst last night, they'll sense these anomalies." She stopped to give him a chance to ask questions. When he didn't even look at her, she added. "And, so that our five voids are less suspicious, I made a couple dozen extra shields and sent them out across the countryside to attach to random people."

He sat there, absorbing all she had told him. He wanted to tell her it had been too big a risk, she was too important. But he couldn't; he actually understood everything she had done, and why. He wanted to be mad at her; but the only thing he was still angry about was that she hadn't trusted him with her plan. But, something else was nagging at him. If she had done what she knew was the right thing to do, and had taken all the necessary precautions; what was up with all the quiet after they got back in the car.

"Okay. I think you you're probably right about protecting our contacts. I don't get why you couldn't tell me about it before hand? And, what happened to you after we got in the car?"


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 28

She debated how, or if, to tell Sam everything that had gone through her mind last night. Her resentment of being tested by _the One_, her anger at feeling she was failing the test; or her envy of the life Amelia Stone would have after the goddess left her body. Envy was definitely not a feeling she had ever experienced before. How did she tell him a powerful and ancient goddess cried herself to sleep because she was jealous of a young woman with a life-time of love and happiness in front of her?

She didn't. Mother Nature had decided it was time to 'pull up her big-girl panties' and start acting like the being she was. Not like some love-struck child. "I apologize for my behavior, in the car and after we got here. I appreciate your kindness last night. My behavior, in general, has been totally unprincipled. It won't happen again." She made the terse statements in a tone that left no room for discussion. She stood up from the table, grabbed a change of clothes. "I would like to clean up before we attempt to find Haley." And she disappeared into the bathroom before Sam could see the tears threatening to expose her misery.

He sat there, trying to figure out what had happened. After the ritual, he had driven to their destination feeling she could smite him any second. She had cried herself asleep in his arms. He had woken up with Amelia back to her pleasant, if subdued, self. The woman who just walked into the bathroom wasn't any of those women. He wondered about her frequent personality changes; maybe she was as crazy as the other gods he had encountered. He hoped not. He had pinned all his hopes of saving Dean on her and her plan.

He sighed as he got up from the table and grabbed his bag with Haley's information. If she wanted to forget about becoming friends and just stick to business, he could do that. He had gotten his laptop out and was looking for additional details on Haley Parks; trying to find a home address or phone, figuring she'd be home on maternity leave. He had just found a phone number and address for the only 'R & H Parks' in the Toledo-Bowling Green area, when Amelia came out of the shower.

"I tried to leave enough hot water for you to take a shower." Was all Amelia said as she sat the clothes she had been wearing on the bed. She avoided making eye contact as he got up, got some clean clothes and headed to the bathroom. She went back to the step outside the door, and sat in the morning sunshine to wait for Sam to be dressed.

Now that she was suppressing her feelings and totally focused on their quest, it occurred to her they needed some information from Apsu before they found Haley. She was assuming the girl would give Sam the milk; that she would be no different than the others and be willing to help any way she could. It was the process of collecting and applying the donations that she was unsure of. When the talisman had been created the world was a very different place. Travelling more than a few miles was considered a long trek. The ancients would have had the seven gather together and make their fluid donations all at one time. And that would mean they would be present when the ritual was performed. Did they need similar conditions? Or could Sam gather the fluids of each of the other six separately; while driving to their various locations?

Amelia heard Sam come out of the bathroom and went back inside, closing the door behind her. "Sam, we need to ask Apsu some questions before we make contact with Haley." She said without any preamble.

He looked up, surprised by her statement. "What?"

"We need to know when she should give you the milk. Could it be given to the talisman now? Or could you take it now but use it later, when we're ready? Does it have to be given at the same time as all the others? And if so, does she and the others need to be present, when the ritual is performed?" She paused to watch his reaction. He just sat at the table, and instinctively reached up and wrapped his hand around Dean's amulet.

"Oh God. We've been so focused on finding the seven people, I never thought about the logistics of this." He finally looked up at her, a desperation in his eyes she hadn't seen for four days. She wanted to wrap him in a hug and tell him it would all work out, instead she said in an impersonal tone, "Please don't lose hope, I'm still sure we can make this work." She came and sat at the table, next to him. "Let's just ask him for some details. Once we know more, we can make our plans."

He nodded and then looked down to where he was holding the amulet. That's when he noticed it was cold and quiet. "He doesn't seem very interested right now." He held the amulet out so Amelia could feel it. The second she touched it, it started humming again. "I guess he just missed you." Sam said; relief obvious in his voice. He took the necklace off to hand to her.

She stopped him and smiled back at him, half-heartedly, but it was a smile. "We will both need to be part of this." She took his hands and laced their fingers together around the amulet. Sam watched her close her eyes and take a few deep breaths. Within a few seconds there was a slight glow emanating from her hands, and it started spreading out and gaining intensity until it encompassed both of them. Sam closed his eyes as the light became too bright to see.

As soon as closed his eyes, he saw a woman and a man talking in an ancient, shaded portico. They turned and she waved for him to join them. "Sam, I'd like you to meet Apsu." The woman said in Amelia's voice, but she didn't look anything like the young woman he knew.

"Uggh" Sam had smiled and nodded at the Sumerian god; but Apsu had grabbed Sam and gave him a tight hug. "Nice to meet you." He said when the god let go of him.

Apsu smiled broadly at Sam. "I, too, am glad to meet you. Tiamat has told me very nice things about you and your brother."

Sam looked at them confused for a couple of seconds before remembering that Tiamat had been Mother Nature's name when she knew the god. He guessed this must be what she had looked like when she was also a Sumerian goddess alongside Apsu. "And she has spoken dearly of you." They both turned to look at the goddess.

She gestured to a bench and they all sat. "Apsu, we have been searching for the seven people to share their love of Dean with you; so that you may release him from Purgatory. And you can be freed from Ea's curse." She paused while he nodded his approval. She took his hands as she continued. "We are to the point we need more details of how to gather and use the fluids that are to be shared."

He furrowed his brows. "I don't understand. It is just as I told you. The seven of you share your fluids, demonstrating the love you have for this man; then you, Tiamat, say the incantation and I will free him as I free myself."

"Apsu. Much has changed since you were imprisoned. The seven are spread out over great distances." She paused briefly to see if he wanted to ask for details. "We would like to know if they must all be there to share the fluids at the same time; or may they donate them one at a time before the ritual is performed?"

"Could not Sam use the mighty chariot of his brother, to travel these great distances and collect the seven?"

"You know about the Impala?' Sam asked.

"Impala? That must be a great, magical antelope to pull a chariot at the speeds and over the distances I have felt for the last 20 years."

Sam smiled. Dean would like that description of his beloved car. He was getting ready to explain an automobile to Apsu, but Tiamat shook her head.

"Yes, Sam could do that. But what we would like to know; could he collect the donations individually? As he travels around, seeking the other six to help."

The god closed his eyes, obviously thinking about the question. "Well, I find nothing in Ea's curse or door-opening incantation that says it couldn't be done that way." Both Sam and Tiamat let out the breaths they had been holding. He smiled seeing the relief in their faces. "But," the smiles disappeared from the faces of the other two. "How would he keep them purified while going from person to person?"

"What?" Sam asked.

"They must be used in the same state as when they are given by the seven. How would you keep them from drying out and free from dirt while riding in a chariot?"

"We would just need to keep them clean and sealed, so they don't dry out, to maintain the purity?" She asked.

"Yes. Is that possible in these times?"

"I think we can manage it." Sam supplied.

They sat and questioned the trapped god for additional details; until Tiamat looked up at Sam and concern swept her face. "Apsu, we must hurry. Sam needs to get back to his corporeal body." As she spoke, Sam noticed he seemed to be disappearing; just like Marty McFly in _Back to the Future._


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 29

Sam opened his eyes and gasped in a deep breath as he fell off his chair to the floor. Amelia was still glowing but it was fading. She had her hands around the amulet. After another minute, the glow was gone and she opened her eyes. She laid the necklace down on the table. Amelia just sat there with a soft, satisfied smile on her face. Sam wondered what she and Apsu had said, or done, after he had left them.

"Uh, Amelia? What just happened?"

She looked down at him with slightly glazed eyes, like she had forgotten he was there. "Our essences joined Apsu in his dimension." She said in a slow, lazy voice. "I thought it would be better if we both knew how the incantation needed to be performed."

He got off the floor and picked up the amulet. "We were all crammed in here?" He asked as he glanced at his watch; he had only come out of the bathroom 10 minutes ago. It had felt like the three of them had been sitting and chatting on the shady porch for an hour. She nodded and shrugged her shoulders.

Sam wondered why she was now so relaxed, almost like she and her former consort had…. He may have an insatiable curiosity, but there was no way he was going to ask what she and Apsu had done after he left. At least that's what he hoped, that it was just curiosity he was feeling, he wasn't sure. If he didn't know better, he might think he was just a little jealous.

X

Amelia was back to the 'strictly business' attitude she had adopted, but the hard edge had disappeared. They reviewed the information Apsu had given them. She helped Sam write down the words of the ritual; he might be good at Latin, but ancient Sumerian, not so much. She wanted them both to be able to recite the incantation when the time came; this way they could both work on memorizing it verbatim.

Sam was surprised at the verbal leniency in reversing the curse. He guessed Ea and the creators of the talisman 'didn't bother having it checked by the legal department'. He chuckled at his own joke. When Amelia gave no reaction, he wondered if she was completely staying out of his mind, or didn't get the joke. He kind of missed having to explain things to her. _Be careful what you wish for_… came to mind.

The information they gathered turned out to be good for their plan, in almost every way. Yes, they could collect the fluids individually; as long they were kept pure and _fresh_. The seven didn't have to be present, but Apsu never quite understood how the fluids could be kept appropriate without them being there. Amelia/Tiamat, had stopped Sam from explaining the modern technology of the Thermos bottle. Well, seven Thermos bottles; they were to be kept separate until during the ritual.

The purification ritual was also pretty vague. An 'ablution in running water' was just that. Thousands of years ago, a bath in a running river was the only way to achieve that. Considering the water quality of most rivers these days, a shower was probably better that a quick dip in a stream or river.

The last two parts had been a little harder to nail down. Sam knew Apsu had to approve each person. And that he had already approved Jody, Cassie and himself. He had liked the stories about Mike and Lucas, and Haley; and Apsu assumed they would be acceptable when he met them. He couldn't, or wouldn't tell them who was going to be the seventh person; but he was sure he had not met them yet. Sam asked if he could sense the person from his list. He couldn't, but he had sensed them in Sam's memories. 'You use your great chariot to get us to there, and I'll know them!' He had said cheerfully.

That had lend Tiamat to ask if Apsu knew who was to donate which fluid. Since he had not met all of them yet, he wasn't sure of the others. He knew the first one he met; one named Jody would supply the tears. The second, the woman that stilled loved Dean, the one called Cassie; she would give her blood. Sam started to ask the god which fluid he was going to donate, but that was when Tiamat had interrupted, stating they had to hurry.

She had one more important question; 'did Apsu know if there was a particular date that they needed to use to perform the ritual?' He had told them, he didn't know what it meant, but 'the goddess of love will lend her brightest light on the day the doors are opened'. Sam had started to ask him what that meant, when Tiamat had stood, walked over to where he was sitting and shoved him so hard he had fallen off the porch and into the blazing sun. He had opened his eyes and gasped for air just as he landed on the floor of the motel room.

X

It was still only mid-morning when they had finishing the de-briefing of their intra-dimensional visit to Apsu. Amelia had been watching Sam closely during the review; both to make sure he had suffered no lasting effects from her projecting his essence into the talisman. She also wanted to make sure he wasn't suspicious about her distracting the conversation away from the fluid he would be donating. Amelia knew; Apsu had told her when he first explained the ritual to her. It's why he had given her a puzzled look when Sam had started asking the question. She would be forever grateful for whatever had distracted Sam and caused him to miss the look on her former consort's face.

"Do you have any idea what 'the goddess of love will lend her brightest light' means?" Sam asked. "I thought you were the goddess of love?"

"I have usually been thought of as a goddess of life and procreation, which is of course related to love." She paused before adding. "There have been many goddess of love, in many different cultures. But, I'm thinking only one has a planet named after her."

"Of course, Venus." Sam was already opening his laptop as he was speaking. It only took him a minute to find what they needed. "This must be what Apsu was talking about. Venus will be at its greatest brilliancy of the year on July 12th." He counted the days in his head. "That gives us 13 days."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 30

They had a date, July 12th. Sam was filled with conflicting thoughts. He was sure they would be able to find, collect and safely store the fluids over the less than two weeks they had. But waiting another two weeks until he could get Dean out Purgatory was going to interminable. Something else was nagging at him. Why had Amelia/Tiamat prevented Apsu from telling him which fluid he was going to give? He was sure of the others, Jody and Cassie, when he had met them. Sam had been with him since he was awoken.

And they still didn't know who to ask to be the seventh person. But, today, they had a young mother to go talk to. Sam called the number he hoped was Haley's.

"Hello?" A female voice that Sam recognized, answered the phone. Amelia, who had been listening in as usual, nodded her head and stepped away from Sam.

"Haley? Haley Collins, from Colorado?" Sam said, as an opening.

"Well, it's Parks now; but yeah. Who's this?" Sam could hear a dog bark suddenly and then a baby start to laugh somewhere nearby.

Knowing she wouldn't drop the baby, if hearing his name stunned her, he said. "It's Sam Winchester.' He paused, when she didn't say anything, he added. "From Blackwater Ridge." He stopped, knowing she would need a second to grasp what she heard.

"Sam? As in Sam and Dean? As in Wendigo killing, brother saving Sam and Dean Winchester?" She said with a distracted chuckle; then added seriously. "Sam and Dean, as in went on a killing spree and were killed in a shoot-out last year, Sam and Dean?"

He wasn't expecting that response. "Uhhhh. That wasn't us, you know that right?"

"Well, I sure hoped it wasn't you."

"It's pretty hard to explain; but it was a couple of guys that looked like us. Haley, we need to ask a favor."

"I'm not sure I'd be much help in a monster hunt right now; I just had a baby." She responded, almost laughing this time.

"Haley, are you okay?" He really wasn't used to this kind of response. Sam wondered if his call had really thrown her for a loop, because of the way she was talking.

She was outright laughing now, and it took her a while to respond. "Yeah. Sorry; it's not you. The dog's licking the baby's toes; Deanna just loves it when he does that."

Sam looked up at Amelia, stunned, before he responded. "Your daughter's name is Deanna?"

"Yeah." She paused before continuing in a more serious tone. "Sam, whatever you need; Ben, Tom and I are there."

He didn't know why he was still surprised by this reaction. It was like they wanted him to call; like they wanted to repay him and Dean for saving them. And it appeared at least one had named her baby for Dean. He looked at Amelia again; she just looked at him with a 'we told you so' expression on her face. "Haley, I'm here in Bowling Green. Can I come by and see you?"

"You tracked me here?" Now there was an edge of concern in her voice. "Is everything alright?" Before he could answer, she started muttering to herself. "No, of course not, Haley. He wouldn't be here if everything was okay. SAMMY, stop that." She yelled away from the phone. "Sorry, the dog was trying to lick the baby's face."

"Your dog's name is Sammy?" Sam was able to croak out.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. He just kind of looked like you." She paused; then added kind of apologetically. "If it helps; we had the dog before the baby?"

Now he was laughing. He thought he had heard and seen everything. Dean would never let him live this down when he got back. When he could talk again, "So, can I come by and talk to you?"

"I was going to go run some errands. Can I meet you somewhere?"

"Well, it would be better for us if we met someplace more private."

She remembered the news stories about the killing spree, supposedly by Dean and Sam, from last year. She had known it had to be a mistake, and when it was reported they were dead, she hoped that wasn't true either. But, it explained why he wanted to meet in private. "Sure. You know how to get here?"

"I'm pretty good at finding places." Then he couldn't resist. "Must be the bloodhound in me." They both had a good laugh. "We can be there in 40 minutes."

"Okay. Tell Dean I've got some M & Ms in the cupboard." She added still chuckling.

All humor gone; Sam responded. "Haley, Dean's not with me; that's why I need your help."

"You said we, I just assumed." She was also now serious. "Who's with you?"

"Someone helping me get him back. You okay with me bringing them along?"

"Sure. See you soon."

"Haley. One more thing, well two. Does your husband know what happened at Blackwater?"

"No! And I'd like to keep it that way."

"No problem. I'll assume he isn't there this morning?"

"He's at work." She paused. "You said two more things?"

"Where can I pick up a Thermos bottle in the area?"

X

Sam and Amelia had made it to Haley's home, after a quick stop at a sporting goods store to pick up seven Thermos bottles, in just under an hour. Haley had answered the door with her baby in her arms. Amelia's immediate beaming smile made him hurriedly clear his throat to get her attention; he shook his head at her because he didn't want her to start glowing. But he also assumed it meant Haley was acceptable, at least to the goddess.

Haley just stared at the oddly smiling young woman, the young woman whose image had been all over the news last night, standing next to Sam. "Sam." She looked back at Amelia. "Who's your friend?"

"Haley, this is Amelia. She's helping me get Dean back." He watched as Amelia took a small step forward extending her hand.

"Hello, Haley. It's a pleasure to meet you. Sam has told me nice things about you and your brothers." She withdrew her hand when she realized Haley's hands were full with the baby and holding the dog back. "May we come in?"

"Oh, excuse me. Where are my manners?" She said somewhat flustered; she hadn't been expecting to see the mysterious and wanted 'Amelia'. She didn't know if it was because she trusted Sam, or that Amelia came off as the least dangerous person she's ever met; but she had no qualms letting her in her home. "Come on in." She stepped aside to let them enter.

Sam stepped back to let Amelia enter first. As she passed Haley, she turned and nodded her head at him. That's when Sam noticed the warmth and vibration on his chest, from where the amulet laid on his shirt. They made their way into the family room/kitchen area, and Haley indicated they should sit.

"May I?" Amelia asked Haley before sitting; holding her arms toward the baby.

Haley looked at Sam for confirmation it would be safe to let this strange woman hold her daughter. He nodded his head and smiled back at Haley. After Haley had handed the baby to Amelia, she sat down on the sofa next to Haley. The baby immediately started making happy, cooing noises.

"She's usually not this good with strangers." Haley said while watching in amazement.

Sam 'asked' Amelia in his thoughts, if he should tell her. She just smiled at the baby and nodded her head slightly. "Haley." Sam said to get her attention. "I'd like you to meet Mother Nature." He said just as Amelia started lightly glowing.

X

Haley had been looking at Sam while he was talking; she turned to look at the 'woman' holding her baby girl to see her beaming with joy, and _glowing_! She felt her heart rate jump just before Amelia reached out and touched her arm. Haley immediately relaxed, sensing Amelia was no threat to her child or herself.

"She's beautiful, Haley. Thank You." Amelia smiled at the young mother; she touched the baby's rosy cheeks and handed her back to her mother. Haley took back her baby in stunned silence. "We're sorry to be so abrupt with my introduction, but it we've found there is no easy way to say it." Haley just nodded.

"Haley." Sam spoke and Haley snapped out of shock. "We need your help." He paused and she just looked at him. "You want the long version or just what we need you to do?"

X

"You want what?" Haley replied after a brief, stunned silence. She had chosen the second option. "I guess you better tell me the long version now."

Sam told her the same bare-boned story of his and Dean's lives he had told Cassie, up to the killing of Dick Roman and Dean's being trapped in Purgatory. When he got to Amelia's return from the void and her part in the ritual to get Dean back, Amelia joined him in explaining why the breast milk was needed. They stopped at that point, to let it all sink in; and decide if she would help.

Haley looked back and forth between Sam and Amelia several times. "Are you really Mother Nature?" Was the only thing she asked. Amelia smiled and nodded. "Don't you get lonely, in that other dimension, waiting to come back to Earth?"

Amelia's smile faded, she hadn't wanted to talk about that with Sam, and certainly didn't want to with this young mother. She looked at Sam, and saw the look on his face. He had put it all together; her strange behaviors and mood changes. She wasn't any fonder of pity than she was of the other emotions she had been feeling in the last day. "No, not really." She lied.

"So, how do we do this?" Haley asked Sam.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 31

"Would you call me after the 12th, let me know it worked and that you got Dean back?" Haley asked, as Sam finished putting her breast milk in the cooler they gotten while they were buying the Thermos bottles.

Sam looked up and smiled at her. "Sure. It may take a couple of days, but I will." She grabbed him into a hug. "But, you've got to promise me you'll never tell Dean the dog's name." She let go of him, smiling back at him.

She turned to where Amelia was holding Deanna. "It was nice to meet you?" She asked/said. "I'm not sure what you say to a goddess."

"Well, I'm going to say, Thank You. For helping us, for letting me hold your beautiful daughter and for helping save my pretty little planet. You will do remarkable things with your research on solar energy." Amelia said as she handed the baby back to Haley, and then she kissed her cheek. Haley felt a surge of energy pass through her as Amelia kissed her.

"What was that?" She asked surprised.

"Just a blessing, from one mother to another." Amelia said, and then went around the car to get in the passenger seat.

"Good Luck." Haley called as Sam also got into the car. They both waved back at Haley as they drove off.

X

Sam headed them east out of Bowling Green, towards Canton. They had all day to get across the state, so he decided to forego the interstates again. He wished they could head up to Wisconsin, to see Mike and Lucas, but he had no way to safely reach Jody to tell her the change in plans. The radio news was still talking about the sightings of Amelia, but now they were also talking about the freak lightning storm last night. There was no mention of their car or her being with anyone else, which Sam took as a good sign.

He wished he had one of Bobby's old police scanners. Just because the police hadn't announced a BOLO to the media, for him or the Tahoe, didn't mean they weren't holding that back from the public. Two days ago, Amelia would have heard his thoughts and already known what he wanted to ask her. Now, he didn't think she was even paying attention to him. He didn't want to upset her, but he needed to know. "Amelia? Do you think you can hear the police radio signals?" She looked at him. "I want to make sure they don't know what kind of car we're driving."

She closed her eyes for a few minutes; he assumed doing what he had asked. That she hadn't been upset at asking her to be his personal police scanner had him worried. Amelia had been remote since last night; like she had disengaged herself from any emotional involvement. And, there was the way she reacted when Haley asked if she got lonely. Was that what she was doing; distancing herself from him? Was she trying to prevent the pain of separation by pretending she didn't feel anything? He surprised himself, but he missed the warm and caring, and just as often frustrating and intrusive, goddess.

Amelia opened her eyes after several minutes. "I'm sorry, Sam. There is just too much noise out there, I couldn't hear anything clearly."

"It's OK. Thanks for trying." They went back to driving in silence when it occurred to him he hadn't eaten anything since the muffins this morning, he wasn't sure if Amelia had eaten at all. "Why don't I find us someplace to have lunch?"

"Sure, that's probably a good idea."

With the renewed media interest in 'the mysterious Amelia', she waited in the car while Sam grabbed lunch. He drove until he found a place he could pull off the road and they could eat. He got out the tarp he had bought, to cover the sunroof opening at night, and laid it out for them to sit and have their lunches. They sat in silence until they had both nearly finished.

"Amelia?" He paused until she looked at him. "Can you tell me happened last night?"

"I told you, I cast a spell to protect your friends."

"Yeah. No. I don't mean that." He didn't want to upset her, or worse, piss her off; but he wanted to know. "You just seem so different." He stopped and waited for her to reply; when she didn't, he continued. "Are you really that mad that I broke out of the car?" She still didn't say anything.

Amelia knew he wasn't going to stop asking until she told him something. She hated treating him this way; and now he thought it was his fault. It was one thing to distance herself from him emotionally, but she wasn't going to let him take on her burden. She thought of the advice Apsu had given her this morning after Sam had left the imprisoned god's dimension. 'There is only one test that ever matters, and only one being that can judge you; you. Are you being true to yourself?'

Maybe that was the test, knowing who she really was, why she was here and following her heart wherever it led; no matter how much it would hurt when she left the beloved planet, and him behind. If _the One_ had put her here, with him, as a test of her character; she would show him her true character. Like all good mothers, she'd fight and do the right thing for the ones she loved. Being cold and withdrawn from Sam was definitely not who she was or the right thing to do. She felt the heaviness leave her heart and finally answered him.

"I told you I thought _the One_ was testing me? And I thought I was failing the test?" She paused and Sam nodded. "Well, I think the test wasn't just my lack of protecting the women at risk. It was also of my character and how I was reacting to you." She saw his puzzled look. "I can't believe I'm going to say this again, but it is hard to explain. Last night and earlier today, I thought I had to change my behavior, to avoid becoming close to you, to pass this test. But Apsu gave me some good advice; I have to be true to who and what I am because that is the only real test of character."

Something suddenly occurred to her. "Sam, I may have been wrong about Apsu's curse not being destined for you to remove." It was suddenly all becoming clearer to her as she spoke. "I think it may have been _the One's_ intention to bring us together all along. He would know I couldn't help but love you." Tears started forming in her eyes; the cruelty of the test overwhelming her.

Sam sat and watched the goddess, he could see it in her face that something horrible just occurred to her, and tears started rolling down her cheeks. He didn't understand exactly what she was talking about, but he understood the heavy burden of destiny and tests of character. 'Wait, did she just say she loves me?' "What?"

She turned away to hide her face, and it all came pouring out of her. "I was so worried I was failing the test because I was envious of the life Amelia Stone will have after I leave. Envy is not something I've ever experienced before. In all my lives, I have never begrudged my vessels the benefits I leave behind after my going. Amelia will stay here and be happy and loved, and have children and grandchildren. I will go back to wherever it is I go and wait to be called. Haley was right, it is a lonely existence." She stopped and swiped at the tears on her face before facing him. "I was going to shut myself off from my feelings for you, thinking maybe it wouldn't hurt so much later. But hiding from the truth isn't who I am; and I see now, it's too late." She stopped talking. If she said anything more, she would end up telling him everything.

He sat there not knowing what to say. He suddenly felt a drop of rain hit his hand and looked up to see heavy rain clouds had formed while they were talking. "Crap. I think we're about to get drenched." He glanced at Amelia, a sheepish grin on his face. "I guess breaking out the sunroof wasn't such a smart idea."

Amelia flashed him a smile, a real smile, as she rolled her eyes. "You think?" She said as they gathered up the remnants of their lunch and the tarp and ran back to the car. Nothing had changed and nothing had been resolved; the test and her future were, as always, in _the One's_ hands. But she knew who she was again and what she was put here to do, and she was going to do whatever she had to reach their goals. And as far as she was concerned, she had passed_ her_ test, because she was following her true nature. Pun intended. She actually laughed when she remembered the commercial from the 70's that she hated so much_. 'It's not nice to fool Mother Nature.'_


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 32

It turned out driving with a tarp instead of a glass sunroof was not very practical. They were both soaked within minutes. Sam gave up and found an abandoned gas station to get under cover and wait out the storm. With Sam acting as lookout, Amelia was able to blow dry the interior of the car. She offered to do the same for him, but he opted to just change his clothes. Amelia wasn't insulted he had declined her offer. Now that she had decided to follow her heart, she was going to enjoy any opportunity to see his beautiful body.

Sam made good use of the time by finding the nearest Chevy dealer, which was in Canton; and arranged to get a new sunroof installed as soon as they got into town. While he had been on hold, as the dealership checked their inventory, it occurred to him; 'couldn't Mother Nature control the weather? Did she start the storm to keep him from asking more questions? No, she wouldn't do that; she knows we can't risk her power being detected right now.' He glanced over to where she was sitting and watching the rain with a sly smile on her face. If he didn't know better, he'd swear she had just heard what he was thinking.

X

The storm stopped, almost as quickly as it had started. Sam still wondered about Amelia having any part in it; but sudden storms weren't that unusual for mid-west summers. He was also still a little confused by yet another personality change. At least she was back to 'herself', with a touch of mischievousness thrown in. He knew there was more she hadn't told him; but he trusted_ this_ Amelia. He could wait until she was ready to tell him whatever it was she was holding back.

They made Canton by late afternoon and drove straight to the dealer. They had the window waiting and ready to install. They took the cooler out and Amelia stayed with that. Sam insisted he had to keep the car in eye-sight at all times; claiming he was very obsessive about his new car. He didn't mind them thinking he was a prick, but he couldn't have anybody snooping through the collection of weapons in the back. They were in and out in just under two hours.

They found the main Canton Post Office, just as they were locking the doors. Sam had wanted to check for a message from Jody; in case she was a day early, like they were. Sam found a motel near the post office they could afford. The new sunroof had seriously depleted their cash. It was early evening but neither was hungry, so he just grabbed some food to eat later, and they settled into the room.

Sam decided to call Cassie. After Amelia had confirmed it was her, he let her know what they had learned from Apsu. Not that he told her how and where he had gotten the information; he said it had been from Amelia. When he told her she would give a few drops of blood, because in her heart she still loved Dean, she was quiet but didn't disagree. He was telling her he'd come back down to get the blood after he got back from Wisconsin when she interrupted him.

"That won't be necessary, I'll come to you." She sounded amazingly like Amelia did when she made it clear there would be no further discussion on a matter. "Just tell me when and where." Sam smiled, not quite sure why, something about the kind of women that enter his and Dean's lives.

After Sam gave her the date and location; Cassie told him she had new information since his visit. She must have spent hours researching because she had learned a lot in the last two days. She e-mailed it to him while they were talking. After they had exchanged information, Cassie asked about the reports of Amelia being seen in Columbus. He said they were being more careful now. He asked if she had any contacts in the police department and if she knew anything that that wasn't being released to the public. He let out an audible sigh when she told him that according to the local police chief 'the feds were chasing their tails'.

They said their good-byes with the promise to stay in touch. He read over the information Cassie had sent him. She had found phone numbers for both Mike and Lucas in Wisconsin. He wanted to call one or both of them, but Amelia was in the shower and he needed her to verify they who he was talking to. He noticed Cassie had found a quite a bit on Evan Hudson, the guy Dean had gotten out of a crossroads deal. Evan had made good use of the time he had been given; he and his wife had become major benefactors in several causes in Greenwood, Mississippi. As he reviewed everything she had sent, it occurred to him, she had found everybody on his original list. He made note of those in the mid-west; they might as well at least start with those close-by. He'd drive to Timbuktu or the North Pole, if he had to; but he wanted to stay as close to Lawrence as possible.

He looked up from his screen and noticed Amelia had been in the bathroom a long time. He didn't hear water running, so she wasn't still in the shower. Actually, he didn't hear anything and started to worry; he hadn't salted the bathroom window before she went to clean up.

"Amelia?" He said as he knocked on the door. "Are you okay in there?" When she didn't reply right away, he took a step back getting ready to kick the door in; when she opened the door.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked, flushed and obviously peeved. "Can't a woman have a few minutes of privacy?" Amelia saw the look of concern in his face and immediately changed her tone. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to worry you."

Sam just stared at her, the way she said the word _privacy_ left no doubt in his mind as to what she had been doing. She stepped out of the bathroom. She had either put on her dress without drying off or her hair was still dripping, because it was making the light-weight fabric damp and cling to her upper body. As she walked past him, he noticed she had that wonderful, wild flowers smell and he could almost feel the warmth radiating from her smooth skin.

After she had put her dirty clothes down, she turned back to him. His expression had changed; and she didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking. She knew all she had to do was take a step towards him and Sam would lose all his inhibitions. He'd take in his arms, kiss her and they'd make love all night long. Instead, she said, "Sam, I need to tell you something." In her mind, she added 'first', and hoped he'd still want her after she was done.

He knew from the tone in her voice, that she was ready to tell him what she had been keeping from him. He thought her timing kind of sucked, but it brought his mind out of the spell her body had cast on him. It wasn't quite enough to stop the reaction the rest of his body was having, however. She smiled slightly after glancing down and seeing why he hadn't replied. Her smile only made it worse. As badly as he wanted to hear what she was going to say, he wouldn't be able to concentrate like this. "Give me a few minutes." He said as headed to the bathroom. She nodded her head and gave him another knowing smile as he closed the door.

X

While he was in the shower, Amelia washed and cut up the fruit Sam had picked up earlier. He'd also grabbed a nice, crusty loaf of bread and some cheese. By the time he came out of the bathroom, she had arranged the items on the table and dug one the exorcism candles out of a bag. It was a simple, but lovely, repast she had arranged. Sam figured that meant either, it was really bad and she was trying to soften the blow. Or, it was really good news and they were going to celebrate. Being a Winchester, he put his money on the first.

"How bad is it?" He asked.

She smiled, in that sly and terribly sensual way, of hers. "Actually, I'm hoping you'll like it." She said as she handed him a glass. He smelled the amber liquid, smiled back at her and downed the whiskey. "I hope you don't mind me digging it out of one of the bags?"

"It's so bad you have to ply me with alcohol first?" He asked in a teasing tone. He noticed the bottle was on the table with the food, and went over and refilled his glass. Amelia sat down at the table, and Sam joined her.

"Sam, I need to answer the question you asked Apsu this morning."

"Which one?" He said and then sipped from his refilled glass. He was sure he knew which question; and he was also pretty sure he already knew the answer. What he didn't know was why she had tried to keep it from him. He had seen Apsu's surprised look and Amelia shake her head when he asked which fluid he would be donating.

Amelia saw the images passing through his mind; she should have known he had seen everything this morning. She could see he had already guessed what she was going to tell him. "You're going to make me say it; even though I know that you know?"

"Yup." He said leaning back in his chair. He could be as mischievous as her.

Amelia stared at him for a second and then stood up. Taking a formal-looking stance and in a serious voice, she intoned what she wanted to say. "Samuel Winchester, as the first of the seven, and closet to Dean; and because of your shared parentage, you will be asked to share semen with the talisman."

Even knowing what she was going to say, actually hearing the words was kind of weird. It wasn't quite as uncomfortable as their discussion on relieving sexual tension, but it was close. "You've known all along, haven't you?" He asked, wondering why she had kept this from him.

Amelia could hear the trace of distrust in his voice. "Yes." She had relaxed her pose but hadn't sat back down. "I've known since Apsu first told me about the incantation." This was not going as well as she had hoped.

"And you didn't tell me sooner because?"

She turned and sat down on the foot of the bed, avoiding eye contact with Sam.

"I'm going to insist on an answer here, Amelia." He said with a trace of hardness creeping into his voice.

She sat there with her head down, this was so not how she wanted this to go. 'Could nothing ever be easy between them.' She suddenly stood up and walked over to him. "You know, for a college-educated and seasoned Hunter you really are rather stupid." She said in frustration. "I didn't tell you because you can't just masturbate to make your donation. It has to be produced during an act of love. And it has to be with me, you..you.. ass. And I'm in love with you!" She paused to take a breath, her voice quieter and hitching as she continued. "And I hoped you could love me back by the time we made love to obtain your donation." She stood there in front of him, face flushed and tears forming in her eyes.

Not knowing how to reply, Sam slowly stood up, reached out and wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry." Was all he could think to say; even though he didn't know what he was apologizing for. He reached out to wrap his arms around her but she slapped at his hands. He grabbed both of her hands in one of his and wrapped the other around her and just held her while she tried to stop crying. After a few minutes, he felt her take a few deep breaths and sniffle. He leaned back to see her face; and started chuckling at the sight. "Now, that's an attractive look." He said in a teasing voice.

She tried to push him away, but not very hard. "You really are an asshole, you know." She said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Maybe. But I'm the asshole who's pretty sure he loves you, too." He replied. He let go of her, bringing his hands up to frame her face. He leaned down, getting ready to kiss her…

"Hello, Moose. Who's your girlfriend?"


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 33

"Crowley!" Sam said as he instinctually stepped in front of Amelia to shield her and reached behind him for the demon-killing knife, forgetting he just got out of the shower.

"Excuse me." The demon said, trying to peer around Sam. "Let me rephrase that; what is your girlfriend?"

"She's none of your business." Sam replies tersely.

"I beg to differ. I always want to meet your new, little friends." He said as he started taking a small step forward; but found himself unable to move. "What the hell?" He said looking to the ceiling for a Devil's trap.

"I don't need a trap to stop you." Amelia said as she stepped out from behind Sam. "This is Crowley?" She asked Sam as she came to stand next to him. Sam nodded.

"I see you've heard of me." He said trying to hide his fear. But Amelia saw the way his eyes darted about the room and the slight twitch in lip. "Sorry, I can't say the same about you. You are?"

"I'm none of your business; or didn't you hear Samuel?" She said while giving Sam a small, reassuring smile. "And you can quit trying to call for help. Your underlings can't hear you."

"Samuel? That's pretty formal for what I saw when I arrived." Crowley said, still trying to mask his fear.

"Again, none of your business." She said glaring at him. She turned away from the demon, towards Sam and winked at him. "May I destroy him for you now; or would you prefer to do it yourself?" Amelia pointed to the knife lying next to Sam's clothes on the bed.

"Now, hold on!" Crowley nearly yelped. "I just popped in for a friendly chat, and that's the way I'm treated?"

"Like hell, you did." Sam spat out as he stepped to the bed and picked up the knife. "Why shouldn't I? I'm tired of you screwing us over every chance you get."

"I never!" He tried cringing backwards, but still unable to move as Sam stepped forwards, knife in hand.

"You knew! You knew what would happen to Dean when he killed the Leviathan. You knew and said nothing!" Sam started to take another step forward but Amelia put her hand on his arm. The seething hatred coming from him had her worried he would lose control and take an unnecessary risk.

"Now hold on just a damn minute. You want to talk about keeping secrets." Crowley said, a little braver after seeing the woman could control the Hunter. "How about you; working with Meg? And let's not forget, failing to mention Castiel was alive!"

"Not to sound repetitive; but, again, none of your business." Sam said calmly. Amelia's touch had brought him back from the brink of that violent part of himself he didn't like to admit was there.

The man and the demon stood glaring at each other. Amelia wasn't actually sure she could kill the King of Hell; 10,000 years ago, sure. But now, she just hadn't had to deal with such a powerful demon in so long, she didn't know. Sure, she could destroy the body he was possessing, or she could immobilize him and Sam could use his knife. She wasn't afraid of him; she knew he couldn't touch her. Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't try. And he was still a threat to Sam and their plan to get Dean back.

"How about offering a chap a drink?" Crowley said, gaining confidence that neither was going to kill him. He still didn't know who or what the woman was, but she was, at least, more level headed Sam. Her power had taken him by surprise; and that she was able to hide from him perplexed him. Who or whatever she was explained what had happened to the missing demons he had assigned to keep an eye the last Winchester.

Sam just huffed in contempt. "I don't think so. How about you bring back Dean and Cas? And Kevin Tran, while you're at it."

"You're kidding, right?" Crowley stared at Sam. "If I could just waltz into Purgatory, I wouldn't have had to make a deal with that double-crossing Angel pal of yours in the first place."

Amelia was amazed at the brilliance of what Sam had just done. Not only had he made the demon admit he still wanted access to Purgatory; Sam had led him to believe they had no idea how or plan to get Dean back themselves. She resisted grinning at him, assuming the demon would pick up on it. But, the longer they stayed in this stalemate, the longer something could go wrong. "Okay. This has been fun, but we were kind of busy. You need to go now."

"What?" Both Sam and Crowley asked, one afraid he was going to be killed, the other afraid he wouldn't get to kill the demon.

She turned and spoke to Sam. "If we kill him, we will never find where he's taken the prophet."

"True. True." Crowley eagerly agreed.

"Shut up." Both Sam and Amelia yelled at the demon.

"We can't just let him leave."

"No, of course not." She smiled at him as an idea came to her. She reached up and touched the talisman hanging around Sam's neck, and it started vibrating wildly. "Apsu has been alone for a long time; he says he would love to meet Crowley." She said grinning at Sam.

"Who?" Crowley asked. Still holding the talisman, Amelia reached out and touched the demon. A blinding light flashed through her for a couple of seconds; and the demon's body collapsed into a pile of dust and expensive fabric.

"Wow. He must have been possessing that guy a really long time." Sam said. He looked down at Dean's amulet; now almost rocking it was humming so violently. "You sure this was a good idea? How long can he keep Crowley in there? Will Apsu still be able to help us save Dean?" He reached up and took the necklace off. "Geez, what are they doing in there? It's getting awfully hot."

Amelia tilted her head, listening to something. She smiled broadly. "I believe Apsu is getting Crowley settled in, you know, showing him around. He always was a very demonstrative host." Her smile waned as she added. "We can't leave him in there very long; he will be too distracting for Apsu to help us. But it buys us some time, to come up with a more permanent solution."

"As much as I want him dead, we can't kill him." Sam said very dejectedly. "He may be a lying sack-of-shit, but he does manage to keep a pretty tight leash on Hell and his demons. Without him they will be everywhere vying for power."

"Crap." Both Sam and Amelia said as they sat on the end of the bed. They sat there, both trying to think of a way out of their dilemma.

She turned back to the pile of dust and clothes. "Sam, if you open the door and make sure no one's watching, I'll clean up this mess. I think better when I'm not hungry." She grinned up at him. "And I worked up quite an appetite."


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 34

They had nearly finished their simple meal; the one that was 'supposed to have been a romantic lead-in to a long night of passion'. Amelia fumed in her disappointment. This whole evening had not gone as she had planned. Well, there was the part where Sam had said he loved her, too. She smiled at that memory. But it was quickly gone when the amulet shook so violently it fell off the table. Apsu was having a harder time than she thought he would; Crowley must still be putting up a fight. She had to find a way to get him out of there; the trapped god didn't deserve this kind of turmoil.

"I wish my cousin was here." She muttered absent-mindedly. "He'd know what to do with Crowley."

"Your cousin?" Sam asked.

"Well, not literately, of course." Amelia looked at Sam. "He's more of the yang to my yin." She giggled and reached to pour another glass of whiskey.

Sam reached out and took the bottle. "Amelia? Are you drunk?"

"Don't be ridiculous." She said and then hiccupped. "Hmm, maybe just a little." She looked at Sam. "You know, I remember when I could drink a whole vineyard's worth of wine. Guess it's been a while." Her smile completely disappeared. "Maybe, I'm too old for this shit."

"This is good to know." He laughed at her. "You're a morose drunk."

"No, I'm not!" She straightened up in her chair. "I'm just frustrated."

"Yes, actually you are, and always have been." Said a smooth, soft voice from near the door.

Sam quickly turned to the sound and found himself staring at Death's thin, pale face. He was up and protectively in front of Amelia in a second.

"Sam." He said unemotionally. "That really isn't necessary; or realistic. You really think you could stop me, if I was here for either of you?"

"You came!" Amelia said as she looked around Sam's large frame. She jumped up, walked over to the imposing figure raising her arms getting ready to hug the Grim Reaper.

He raised the hand, as she approached, to stop her. "We are not going to hug." She stopped her forward motion and she put her hands down. "What kind of mess have you gotten into this time?" He asked her condescendingly.

Amelia started to open her mouth to reply, but Sam spoke first. "Don't talk to her that way."

Death let out a long, put-upon sigh. "I see you've made another poor fool fall in love with you." He said looking at Sam. He turned towards in the direction of the table and looked down at the amulet just as it violently shook again. "I see you finally found that idiot Apsu, as well." He stared another second before adding. "Is that Crowley in there with him?"

"Yes. I needed to put him somewhere he wouldn't bother us, and Apsu said it would be okay. But, I think the demon is giving him a hard time. We decided we couldn't kill him because it would create chaos in Hell and probably unleash the demons he's currently controlling. I just don't know how to let him out without him getting in the way of our plan to save Dean." It all poured out of Amelia so fast she had to take a deep breath as she finished.

"I see." Death walked over to the table, sat down and then reached down and picked up the amulet. "And you want me to do what exactly?"

Sam stared at the two of them, talking like long lost relatives. That's when it hit him. He turned to Amelia. "This is your _cousin_? Death?"

"Is that what you told him?" Death asked, obviously annoyed.

"Hey, I said not literately." She replied, slightly defensively and now completely sober. "But, come on. We were both put here about the same time, we are life and death; yin and yang, light and dark. What else would you call us?"

Death put the amulet on the table, took the last piece of cheese and sat quietly eating. "So, Dean Winchester and that stupid little Angel of his got themselves thrown into Purgatory?" He said, staring straight ahead. He turned a looked at the two of them. "I can't believe you're asking me to help you; after all the trouble the both of you have caused me." He said shaking his head.

Sam figured that Death must have known the whole situation before he had even arrived; because neither he nor Amelia had said anything about Purgatory. But, then again, he was Death.

"Of course I knew." He said staring at Sam.

"So, can you take Crowley and keep him out of our way until we get Dean back?" Amelia said trying to wheedle her way into the soft spot she knew he had for her.

He continued sitting at the table and ignored them as he took one of the glasses and swallowed the last of the whiskey. He knew what she wanted as soon as he heard her call. He also knew he would help her; just like the hundreds of times he had in the past. She had him wrapped around her little finger since the moment _the One_ had put them on this horrible little rock. The Winchesters had been almost as troublesome as she had, just not quite as long. But as much as he complained, he really rather liked Dean.

"And where am I supposed to put the King of Hell, since I saw the remnants of his meat suit scattered all over the parking lot?" Death asked as he stood up from the table.

Sam and Amelia just looked at each other. Death rolled his eyes and said. "It was a rhetorical question. you fools." A small bag, just like the one he had brought Sam's soul back from Hell in, appeared on the table. He picked up the amulet in one hand and opened the bag with the other. As he put his hand into the bag, a bright glow started coming from within the bag. He withdrew his hand and closed the bag on the light. He laid the amulet back on the table.

"I will keep him occupied until the moment you repair all the seals to Purgatory. I would recommend taking cover as soon as you can, because he will be very unhappy with you." Death said as he stepped away from the table. "Apsu is also fairly upset with you. I would suggest you try to make him happy before the 12th of July"

Amelia stepped towards Death and he held up his hand. "We are still not going to hug." He said in a put-upon voice; but Sam could swear there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he disappeared, taking Crowley safely away from them.

She turned back to Sam and they both just stood looking at each other. "You suppose anybody else is going to drop in tonight?" Sam said, finally breaking the silence.

Amelia flopped down on one of the beds and replied. "I sure hope not, because I'm exhausted." But then she sat back up and had a sour expression on her face. "Except, I feel disgusting. I need another shower. Having Crowley pass through me makes me feel like I went swimming in the LaBrea tar pits." She was up and in the bathroom before Sam could respond.

Sam found himself staring at the closed bathroom door; then he started talking to himself. "You know, I like to think I'm a fairly flexible guy. You know, 'roll with the punches'." He went to his bag, dug out the salt and was getting ready to salt the door and windows. "But that woman, goddess, what-ever, is going to be the death of me. She would try the patience of ….." He couldn't think of anybody. The way this night was going; whoever he had thought of would probably show up just to rub it in his face!

X

Amelia wasn't the only one who was exhausted. Sam lay down on his bed, after salting the door and windows, to wait to talk to Amelia when she got out of the shower. He figured he'd just close his eyes for a second. But, between the turmoil of Amelia's confession and their visitors and the whiskey, he was out like a light within seconds of lying down.

It took Amelia a long time to wash away the feeling of having a demon's energy pass through her. When she finally came out of the bathroom, she found him sprawled out on his bed on his stomach, sound asleep. 'Oh well.' She thought to herself; their romantic interlude was pretty much shot to hell the second Crowley showed his face. She turned out the lights, threw a blanket over Sam and crawled into the other bed. The evening may not have been perfect; 'okay, it kind of sucked', but it wasn't a total lose either.

She had finally told him all she knew about the incantation. Amelia cringed remembering how hysterical she had gotten. He hadn't been repelled by the thought of having to make love to her; he even said he loved her, too. 'Except, he didn't actually say it, did he? He said 'pretty sure' and he had had as much whiskey as she had. So, basically, he was half-drunk off his ass'. "At least Crowley won't be bothering us anymore." She said to herself as she rolled over and fell asleep as quickly as Sam had.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 35

Sam may not drink as much or as often as his big brother, but he wasn't exactly a light-weight, either. He woke up as soon as the sun started peeking through the curtains. He looked over and saw Amelia looking disheveled and mouth hanging open. He sat and watched her. 'If Dean was here, he'd take a picture to embarrass her later'. He decided against the idea, but chuckled a little anyway.

"Must you make so much noise?" Amelia whined as she turned away from the light shining into the room.

"What? Don't tell me you've never had a hang-over before?" Sam inquired, slightly louder than was necessary.

Amelia sat straight up in bed. "I am not hung-over! Goddesses do not get drunk or have hang-overs, Samuel." Just as she finished making her proclamation, she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. She didn't take time to close the door, so Sam could hear the goddess up-chucking quite clearly.

"Well, goddesses may get hang-overs, but I'd have to say their vessels do." He yelled at the bathroom door. His comment was met with the door being slammed shut. He was still chuckling as he got out of bed and went over to the table. He saw the amulet lying where Death had left it. He picked it up and stared into the little face. "Hey, Apsu; was she this much fun when you knew her?" He asked with more than a trace of sarcasm. The talisman started vibrating and humming, and Sam could swear he heard it say 'YES' as he slipped the string around his neck.

X

Half an hour later, Amelia emerged from the bathroom; showered and only slightly green around the gills. She also had 'the look' on her face that made it quite clear to Sam that he had better be done teasing her about this morning's activities. He had cleaned up the debris from their dinner last night and made her a cup of tea. He ducked into the bathroom to shave and clean-up. When he came out she was dressed, sitting at the table sipping her tea and looking like herself.

"The Post Office doesn't open for another hour; I could go grab us something to eat?" Sam was actually starving but had been reluctant to mention food while she was indisposed.

"Could I go with you? A walk and some fresh air would be really nice." Amelia asked.

He went over to the table and sat down facing her. "Amelia. I know you hate being cooped up in here; but I watched some of the morning news while you were in the shower. You're still a pretty hot topic."

She looked up at him with sad but accepting eyes. "Okay."

Sam stood up and headed for the door. "Anything sound good to you?" He asked as slipped on his jacket.

Amelia just shrugged her shoulders without looking at him. 'Great. Yet another personality to get used to.' Sam thought to himself as he opened the door and headed to the diner a block away.

X

Sam had picked up a local newspaper while he was getting breakfast. The recent Amelia sightings and the freak lightning storm she had created were no longer front page news. But the third page was almost entirely devoted to recapping every sighting, witness report and police statement since she arrived just over a month ago. Amelia alternately fumed and laughed at the erroneous accounts of things she had supposedly done. "They're just making this stuff up." "I would never do that in a million years." "You've got to be kidding me; this guy is saying I made his rooster into a hen and it started laying eggs! Even if I could do that, I wouldn't."

Sam had sat silently. He had wanted to laugh at her reactions, but she seemed to take it all very seriously. "Amelia. They're just trying to sell papers; take it all with 'a grain of salt'." Between eating breakfast and reading the paper, an hour had passed and the Post Office would be open. Amelia didn't even ask if she could go with him this time.

As he waited in line to see if there was any mail in the General Delivery box for an Eliot Ness; Sam saw Jody walk into the building. At least he hoped it was Jody. When she saw him, she nodded almost imperceptibly and turned around and left. Sam waited a couple of minutes, then got out of line and followed her outside. He spotted her across the street on a bench. As he approached the bench, she got up and walked away, but Sam noticed the envelope she had left on the bench. He sat down and picked up the envelope addressed to Eliot Ness, General Delivery, Canton, Ohio.

Sam was glad Jody was being so careful. He wondered how much trouble she had getting here; he would have expected her to be here for at least a day, and to have mailed the letter as planned. All that was inside was a phone number. Even in a life-time of skirting the law, this was more cloak-and-dagger than he was used to. He found a pay phone, not wanting to expose his new cell number just in case Jody wasn't Jody or the FBI had coerced her into helping them, and called the number.

It rang once before she answered. "Sam?"

"Yeah. Are you okay?" He had heard the concern in her voice.

"Yes. I was just so relieved to see you. Where's Amelia?"

He didn't want to talk over the phone. He was sure, well pretty sure, it was Jody; but they needed to meet in person before he said anything that could be used against any of them if the call was being traced. "Everybody's good." He stalled, trying to figure out a safe way to meet. "You remember where we stayed?"

"I think so."

"Meet me there in an hour." And he hung up. If Jody's phone was being tapped, and she hadn't told them everything; which he _was_ positive she never would have done, the authorities would have no idea where their meet would be. That still left demons and Leviathans, they would have her memories and know where to go. A demon he could exorcise. He really didn't want to chop off the head of a Levi that looked like Jody. He headed back to the motel, making sure he wasn't followed, to get prepared for anything.

It dawned on him, as he was ducking down another alley, on his way back to the motel; he could just call Jody back, with Amelia listening and he would know for sure if it was Jody. That thought made him feel much better; for about two seconds. He remembered how dejected she had looked when he told her it wasn't safe for her to go outside. He looked at his watch as he was unlocking the door; it had been well over two hours since he left the motel.

He heard the shower shut off as he closed the door behind him. 'For someone who wanted us to conserve the planet's natural resources, she sure takes a lot of showers' he thought to himself. "Amelia? You okay?"

The door opened a crack and her towel covered head peeked through the crack. "Yes. And I heard that!" She replied testily. "I'll be right out." She said as she closed the door again.

'Crap'. She was reading his mind again. He noticed Dean's clothing bag was open. He had never been able to leave Dean's stuff behind; it would be like admitting he was gone. He sat down and pulled out his laptop, looking for a street map to help him find the best route to the house they had squatted in while they worked to get Dean back from the 1940s.

The door opened and Sam was reaching for his gun out of instinct, when a young man with red hair stepped out of the bathroom. He stopped, with his hand still resting on the handle of his weapon, when he looked closer at the face, and saw it was Amelia. He just stared dumbfounded, as she walked into the room, turned around once and then asked, "Well? Can I go outside now?"


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 36

"Wha..?" Was all Sam could manage as he looked at Amelia.

"I couldn't stand being cooped up inside. So, I reached into Amelia Stone's mind and asked permission to change her hair." She said as she tussled her hair. "She said 'she appreciated the thought but it's only hair, it will grow back'." She noticed Sam was still staring at her opened mouth. "Sam? Are you alright?"

"How?" Sam said, finally able to get out a full word.

"Well, I found the peroxide in the first aid kit and used that to lighten her hair; then I used the scissors from the kit." She sat on the end of her bed and started putting on her sneakers. "I know I should have asked your permission to go through Dean's stuff; but I knew none of your clothes would fit." She stood up and adjusted the shirt and jeans she taken from Dean's bag. "I guess I don't remember you telling me your brother was almost as big as you are. But I was able to roll up the cuffs and with a belt; they almost look like they fit."

"Why now?" He said as he sat down.

Amelia looked at him again and noticed he was still just staring. She knew she shouldn't pry into his thoughts; but, he wasn't having much luck verbalizing his thoughts. His mind was filled with an amazingly jumbled set of emotions; the fear he'd had when he thought someone else was here, the shock of seeing his brother's clothes on someone else, the amazement at her transformation, and finally a trace of disappointment because he liked the way she had looked.

She smiled at him as she walked over to the table. "Sam, I have to be able to go outside. Not just to help get Dean back; I'm Mother Nature, not Mother inside a motel room." She laughed at her own joke. She sat down at the table with him. "Was there a letter from Jody?"

Hearing Jody's name brought Sam out of his shock. "Better. She was at the Post Office. We talked over a pay phone." He shook his head to get rid of the last of the confusion. "Actually, I want to call her again, with you. If we know it's really her, then we don't have to go through any testing." He realized she was right, she had to be able to go outside and move freely if she was going to help him.

He dialed the number Jody had given him. She answered on the second ring. "Sam? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Jody. I'm with Amelia. We discovered she's a great lie detector." Amelia elbowed him in his ribs, for the lie detector comment, but nodded her head as she moved her ear away from the phone. "Look, we don't have to risk breaking into that empty house." He had taken so long, making sure he wasn't followed, getting back to the motel; he hoped she hadn't already gone all the way across town. "Where are you?"

"I think I'm near the Hall of Fame. At least I keep seeing signs for it."

"That's a perfect place." His mind started racing on where to agree to meet. "Meet us at the Roger Staubach display."

"What?"

"We grew up watching the Dallas Cowboys. It was the first name I could think of." When she didn't reply, he asked. "Jody?"

"Yeah. It's just Sean and Owen loved football."

It had been over two years since Sam had had to shoot Jody's zombie son, but he knew that kind of pain never went away. "I'm sorry Jody." He paused, at a loss for what to say. "We'll be there as soon as we can."

X

An hour later, Sam and Amelia could see Jody standing near the Cowboy's display. Amelia's transformation was so complete; they had walked into the museum without having to 'look over their shoulders'. They walked over and stood next to Jody. Jody gave Sam a concerned look, wondering about the stranger standing next to him. Amelia beamed a huge smile at Jody. "Amelia?"

"Yes." Amelia answered proudly. "I so glad to see you again. Are you okay?"

Jody looked at Sam very puzzled. "Don't look at me. She did it all herself." He said, and smiled at both of them.

"I just couldn't stay out of sight anymore." She whispered to Jody.

The three of them pretended to look at the displays and slowly walked through the museum. Sam brought Jody up to speed on everything that had happened in the last three days. Well, not everything. There were parts of his and Amelia's relationship that would stay just between them. They had been at the museum for hours; and Sam figured they needed to find another place to talk before they started drawing attention to their lengthy presence. As they headed for the door, Amelia's stomach let out a loud rumble.

"Well, I guess that helps us decide where to go next." Jody said. She looked at Amelia and then at Sam. "You sound like you're starving; doesn't he feed you?"

Sam and Amelia exchanged knowing looks; Jody wasn't completely sure what they meant, but had a pretty good idea. The way they looked so comfortable standing next to each other, and the sly little smiles she had seen them sharing all day. She thought he deserved some happiness, but 'I hope he knows what he's doing'.

X

Even though it was probably safe for Amelia to go into the diner they found, they got the food "to go" and found a park to sit and eat. Jody told them she had told her Deputies she was taking a 'Leave of Absence' while she was under investigation, to 'protect the reputation of the department'. The men and women under her had been supportive. She hoped she had a career to go back to, but whatever happened she was helping Sam get Dean back.

Amelia had been able to confirm there were no bugs in any of her things or car. Jody hadn't asked why she was asked to share tears as her donation. She had lost her entire family two years ago; and she still fought back tears on a regular basis. But she was alive as were most members of her community, thanks to the Winchesters. There was almost nothing she wouldn't do for these men.

Sam said he wanted to go to Wisconsin, to contact the two boys they had saved. Jody had suggested they separate, and Jody heading to Mississippi and making contact with Evan Hudson. Sam told her it wouldn't work because Amelia had to be there to make sure he was acceptable to the talisman. They settled on Jody heading to St. Louis to get Missouri and going back to Lawrence, if it was safe.

They all went back to the motel, and Sam gave Jody a copy of the information they had. He called Missouri. She was still in St. Louis. She and her friends hadn't heard anything from Lawrence and she had planned on heading back tomorrow. She said she's wait until Jody got there, and would head back with her. After they were done exchanging information, Missouri had asked to talk to Amelia, alone.

Sam gave Amelia the phone and she had excused herself to the bathroom. "You haven't told him, have you?" Missouri asked.

Amelia had guessed what the powerful psychic was going to ask. "No, not everything; not that."

"Good. Don't." Missouri paused. "That boy has had his future shown to him way too many times. And he's got enough to think about right now."

"I know. I just hate keeping things from him." Amelia said, but knowing Missouri was right, for now. "I will tell him before I leave, though."

"Why? " And Missouri saw Amelia's reason as images flooded her mind. She didn't know if they were from the goddess' future or Amelia Stone's, the lines between the two were so blurred.

Amelia didn't answer; she knew Missouri had seen why, even if she didn't agree.

"I'll see you in a few days. You and Sam be careful." Missouri said as she hung up the phone.

Amelia took a minute to dry her eyes; surprised because she hadn't felt the tears forming. She stepped out of the bathroom and handed Sam the phone. He looked at her puzzled. Amelia put on the best smile she could muster before saying, "Women's stuff." Neither Sam nor Jody believed her.

X

By the time they had formalized all their plans, it was late afternoon. Both Jody, and Sam and Amelia had long drives to get to their destinations. Jody decided she'd go back to her motel and get an early start in the morning. Sam wanted to get out of Ohio as soon as possible.

Jody suggested she make her donation before they separated, "just in case". After a quick shower, it only took her a few minutes of thinking about the family she had lost to produce the tears they collected in another of the Thermos bottles. As Sam was packing up the SUV, Jody pulled Amelia aside. "I want to believe that you really care for him. But if you're just using him for some selfish reason, or hurt him; I don't know how, but I will make you sorry."

Amelia smiled at woman she already considered a friend; admiring the courage she had just displayed by threatening a powerful goddess. "Jody, I love him as much as you do. Promise me you'll look out for him after I go." Both women nodded. As Sam walked back into the room, Amelia pulled Jody into a hug. As she let go of Jody, she added. "We'll see you in Lawrence." And Amelia went to get in the car.

"What was all that?" Sam asked.

"Women's stuff." Jody replied and pulled Sam into a hug. Sam didn't believe her any more than he had Amelia after talking to Missouri. But he was out-numbered and knew when to not ask questions.

"We'll see you and Missouri soon. I'll call after we talk to the boys." Sam made a final sweep to make sure they left nothing behind. He spotted a button that must have come off of Crowley's suit. He picked it up and tossed it in the bushes as he and Jody left the room.

Sam and Amelia watched as Jody pulled her car out of the motel parking lot. "You ready?" Sam asked as he turned to Amelia. She nodded, and then a huge smile crossed her face. "What?" He asked

"I was just thinking what gift I could bestow on Jody, for being such a good friend." Amelia replied.

He knew he shouldn't ask, but couldn't help himself. "What did you come up with?"

She just grinned at him and said, "Oh, just women's stuff."

Sam stared for a second but there was no way he was going to ask her what that meant. It dawned on him; so far, all of the people he had involved in the plan to save Dean were women. While Dean would probably like the idea of a small army of women coming to his rescue; he seriously hoped Mike and Lucas would help. He was feeling seriously overwhelmed by all the estrogen.

Amelia reached across the car and punched him in the arm. He turned to her, as she gave him her now familiar, glare. That confirmed she was now routinely reading his thoughts. He thought he should be pissed, but instead found it kind of reassuring. 'Tell me I'm wrong' he thought, knowing she'd hear him.

"Shut up and drive." She said with a grin replacing the glare.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 37

Sam was eager to get to Wisconsin, so he opted to use the interstate highways. They were headed west, on the I-80, skirting Lake Erie before the sun set. He wanted to get at least half way across Indiana before they stopped for the night. They hit the tail end of the evening rush hour traffic going through Toledo and it cost them a lot of time. They made it to South Bend, Indiana around 10pm.

Being summer, there were plenty of available motel rooms in the college town. Sam debated going into town to see if he could hustle up some cash. College towns, even in summer, always had plenty of bars loaded with guys who thought they could play pool or darts a whole lot better than they really could. But they were both hungry. The motel clerk had a menu for a pizza place that would deliver; and they ordered from the front desk. Sam figured he'd get Amelia tucked in and fed, and then find a likely place and hustle a few drunk Notre Dame boys. By the time they had finished unloading the car for the night, the pizza was delivered. It wasn't the greatest pizza Sam had ever had, but it was hot and filling. Amelia had never gotten around to trying pizza in her last arrival or since she'd arrived a month ago. She thought it was wonderful.

"I hope my next visit is to Italy." She said after Sam told her that pizza had originated in Italy.

Sam headed to the bathroom to wash the road dust off him before heading out, while she was finishing the last slice. As he stepped out of the bathroom; he heard Amelia moaning in pain. He found her lying on her bed, holding her stomach. Sam tried very hard not to laugh at the distressed goddess, especially when she whined she 'thought she was going to die'. He should have warned her to not eat so much; but he'd seen his brother put away twice as much pepperoni pizza a hundred times. Dean had had a lifetime of practice of bad-eating habits; he guessed Amelia hadn't, at least in this lifetime.

He really needed to earn them some money. They barely had enough for gas to get to Wisconsin and back. But he remembered all the times Dean had taken care of him when he'd had a stomach ache as a kid; and he couldn't bring himself to abandon Amelia. He checked all the locks and laid down salt lines. Then he stretched out on Amelia's bed. He helped the miserable woman to move up and lie next to him, and started rubbing circles on her distended belly. She continued to moan for a while longer but was soon asleep. Sam reached over and turned out the lamp. His last thought before falling asleep was hoping Dean never found out he had slept with the same beautiful woman in his arms several times, without having sex.

X

They were up at first light, dressed and packed. Amelia was delighted to go back to wearing the clothes Sam had gotten her. And even thought the hair was still a bit of a shock; Sam was glad to have her back to looking like a woman. The Tahoe pulled onto the interstate within 30 minutes of their waking. It wasn't like he could hustle anybody at this time of day. He was so preoccupied worrying about how to come up with some money; he forgot Amelia wasn't even trying to block his thoughts.

"Sam?" She asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. "I think I can help."

"Help? With what?" He asked still forgetting she had probably been hearing his worries.

"Money."

"Dammit, Amelia. You're not even trying to stay out of my head, are you?" He turned to look at her, just in time to see her shrug her shoulders.

"No. Not really." She replied honestly; and way too nonchalantly in Sam's opinion. She saw the surprised look on his face and smiled back at him. "It saves a lot of time. Besides, it is a really good idea."

"That's not the point." He said. 'Except she was kind of right' he thought. He added 'crap' knowing she had just heard him concede the point. And he was curious how Mother Nature would earn them some cash. "What's your idea?"

She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a very expensive men's watch. "I kept Crowley's watch; when I was disposing of his things. There must be a pawn shop in Chicago where we could get a decent price."

Sam was glad there wasn't much traffic this early as he swerved the car slightly. "What the hell? You're pick pocketing demons?"

"No. Well, yes. But he wasn't wearing the pocket by then." She stated like it was an everyday occurrence to rob the King of Hell. Hearing his other concerns, she added. "It's not magic or anything. It's just an expensive, and kind of pretentious if you ask me, watch."

"Yeah. Well, that's Crowley for you." Sam agreed.

"Wait. You haven't heard the best part." She said as she tucked the watch back into her pocket. "We take the money we get for the watch and head to a racetrack. I talk to the horses for a little while, to see who's feeling really good today, you place a few bets, and viola! We have enough money to get us through the next 12 days."

Sam didn't have to worry about Amelia reading his thoughts right then; because he was so dumbfounded by what he just heard his brain shut off for a few seconds. He snapped out of it when she grabbed the steering wheel as they started to drift to the side of the road. He saw an exit and quickly pulled off the highway. Even after he came to a complete stop, his hands were grasping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white.

"Okay, let me get this straight. You lift a watch off a demon. Not just any demon, the King of the Demons." She started to speak but he held up his hand. "I know you can hear everything I'm thinking, but I, I need to say it out loud." She opened her mouth to try again, but it was his turn to glare at her. "Okay. I'll concede Crowley really didn't need the watch anymore; considering where he was." She nodded but made no attempt to talk.

"Then you tell me Mother Nature doesn't have a problem betting on races involving animals raised for the sole purpose of entertaining frivolous humans?" He said as he stared at her.

She smiled at him. He was as concerned for the welfare of some of her most beautiful beasts as he was himself and his brother. Her smile faded as she thought about his question. No, she didn't like the way most of the world's domesticated animals were treated; but short of a _complete do-over_ of the planet, it was too late for her to help save them.

"No, Sam. In the grand scheme of mistakes you humans have made in your relationships with the other species of the planet; making enough money to save your brother and close the seals does not bother me much." She said very seriously, and more harshly than she had intended. She felt a tear escape and roll down her cheek.

"I would have thought a goddess could lie better." Sam reached over and wiped the tear away.

X

It turned out Crowley's watch was as expensive, and pretentious, as they had thought. Sam had enough experience and Amelia's unusual hair made them sound and look just a touch nefarious, never a bad thing in a pawn shop. Amelia read the broker's thoughts and created just the right back story to get an extra $500 out of the guy. She also managed to disable the security cameras in the store. They were in and out quickly and cleanly, with over two thousand dollars in Sam's pocket.

They debated if they should even go to the track; Sam was used to getting by on a whole lot less. If it was just the gas and living expenses for the next two weeks, they had plenty. But what if they had to switch cars again? And money had a way of keeping people from asking questions they may not want to answer.

Sam had years of hustling pool, darts and playing poker; betting on horses was not something they had ever seen as a viable income source. They walked into the Arlington Park racetrack, on the northwest outskirts of Chicago, just after noon. Amelia headed straight to the paddock area, managing to obtain temporary ID/security badges for the both of them. Sam wondered why Amelia was so knowledgeable on the process and procedures. She just turned back at him and smiled.

Amelia walked among the horses, trainers, owners and jockeys; listening to all of them intently. She knew it wasn't just which horse was feeling good and eager to stretch his legs. Professional horse racing was no different than any sport where gambling was involved. The owners, trainers and jockeys often had agendas that had nothing to do with their horse's ability to race that day. A strong, healthy pony itching to fly didn't mean they would be allowed to run the race they wanted.

Amelia took all the information, sat down with a racing form and then gave Sam a list of horses to bet on for the first two races. She headed back to the paddocks as a new group of horses was brought up from the stables. They didn't make any huge bets and made a couple small bets on losers, to lessen attention on their winning streak. After five races, they had turned Crowley's watch money into about 15 thousand.

Sam was cashing out the winning tickets on the last race when Amelia whispered she'd meet him at the car and disappeared into the crowd. He really didn't like separating, but there was something in her voice that made him shiver. He had seen the way she had gone slightly pale while standing near one of the horse owners. His horse had been scratched from the race at the last minute and the grandstand had been abuzz with rumors of someone being caught doping their horses.

As he was climbing into the SUV, with Amelia nowhere in sight, Sam heard sirens coming from the barn areas. A short time later, Amelia arrived and was closing her door, just as a Med-evac helicopter arrived and landed. They were pulling out of the parking lot as the helicopter took off overhead and headed towards Chicago. "Do I want to know?" Sam asked Amelia.

Amelia stared straight at him. "Samuel. I have no idea what you mean."

He followed the signs to I-90 westbound, thinking to himself, 'Yeah, a goddess should really be able to lie better than that'.

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Author's Note: Well, I'm not going to make my goal of being done by the start of the new season. As of Wednesday, it becomes AU. I still promise to finish the story. Sorry for the longer gaps in posting; Real Life has been kicking me in the nads for about a week.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 38

"You can't just show up at his mother's motel this late, unannounced." Amelia repeated adamantly.

"It isn't that late and it's a motel; that's what people do."

"Sam. You're not just people." Amelia was now using her hands to emphasize her point.

"What the hell does that mean?" He couldn't believe after all these years and everything he'd been through and done; any implication that he was less than human was still a sensitive subject.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." Amelia calmly responded to his thoughts. "I meant, you're not just another motel guest checking in. You have a history with Mike. You'll remind him of what was probably the worst days of his life." She paused before adding, "Meet him with the light of day and the comfort it brings."

X

They had been arguing about how to make contact with Michael Sorenson ever since they had crossed into Wisconsin. After leaving the racetrack in the late afternoon, Sam had gotten them on the I-90 heading west and north. They had cleared Illinois in a couple of hours. At some point it occurred to Sam, he knew she was right but was still arguing because he enjoyed the verbal sparring. And either she wasn't reading his mind while she was so wrapped in her own thoughts while arguing; or she was still arguing because she was enjoying it as much as he was.

There _animated discussion_ had continued after Sam had conceded he shouldn't call Mike tonight. Their discussions had caused them to miss the first cutoff to the Fitchburg/Madison area and they had to come back into Madison from the north. He wanted to stay near the University of Wisconsin campus, so he could find a pub and hustle some college kids. She hadn't understood his desire to supplement their cash, they had plenty money. Then she saw he actually enjoyed the atmospheres and friendly competitions in the bars/pubs.

They were going through the downtown area, crossing the isthmus between the two lakes, as Sam was headed for the campus on the west side of the city. Amelia's tone suddenly changed as she told Sam to stop. As he pulled out of traffic, he felt the amulet vibrating. By the time he had stopped the car and was able to look over at Amelia, she had her eyes closed; obviously communicating with Apsu.

"What is it?" He asked her when she opened her eyes.

She wanted to tell him what the trapped god had said. Apsu didn't know who, but he 'was sure one of the donors was nearby; that their paths were going to cross this night'. Telling humans their futures tended to cause them to alter those futures. The future could be changed every moment of every day. You look right instead of left and see the mate you were intended to have; you stopped to pet the cat on the way out the door, which caused you to miss a stoplight and get hit by falling space junk. You learn you are intended to be Lucifer's vessel and cause the end of the world.

Sam had stopped an apocalypse. But would just knowing the future, that their plan might be hinged on tonight, cause Sam to change his actions, and maybe miss the donor? Of course, maybe it was telling him that caused him to make the action that created the meeting. She looked over at his anxious face. She hadn't seen any of this in his future; but what she knew about the man had shown her the answer to give him.

"Apsu says one of the donors is here."

They looked at the crowded city streets. They were surrounded by hotels and restaurants, and hundreds of people were out enjoying the summer evening.

"How are we supposed to find someone in this?"

"He says; they will find you."

"What?"

A horn blaring brought them back to their surroundings. Sam was blocking a hotel driveway. He pulled off the street and into the hotel's parking area. Sam turned to Amelia after stopping the car. She saw a thousand questions and emotions pass through his mind, the storming conflict of his thoughts making her dizzy and she closed her eyes. Suddenly, she saw his mind clear and absolute clarity coming from him, with herself at the center. She opened her eyes to see him looking at her.

Struggling for something to say, she started, "Sam. I know you hate the idea of fate ", was all she got out before he interrupted.

"Stop. Amelia, tell me you, well, you and Apsu, know whatever is supposed to happen tonight will happen." His eyes were pleading with her. "You're right. Fate and/or destiny don't mean shit to me. I don't believe or trust either. But, you, you I trust."

They just stared at each other, neither being able to think of anything to say, or even needing to try.

Suddenly, there several knocks on Sam's window. "Sir? If you're checking in; could you pull your car up to the door?" They turned to see a parking valet staring in at them. They turned back and looked at each other.

"Here goes nothing." Sam said as he turned back to the valet and nodded, put the car in gear and pulled up to the check-in area by the front door.

X

The only hotels Sam had ever used, other than haunted ones while on a case, had been rat-traps in really bad neighborhoods. Well lit lobbies, valets with luggage racks and concierges were a pleasant, yet awkward, experience. Under his close supervision, they got the cooler and equipment bags out of the car and loaded on the large, brass-plated luggage dolly.

Sam got some very strange looks when he said he'd pay for the room in cash. His heart skipped a beat, when the clerk said they'd need a credit card on-file as a deposit. He had registered with his new Missouri ID, as Eliot Ness; all his credit cards had different names. His heart skipped another beat, when Amelia stepped up to the desk, wrapped her arm through his and practically groped him.

"Eliot dear, is there a problem?" She said in a tone of voice he had never heard her use before. A tone that had an immediate effect on his entire body; he felt his heart and breathing rates increase, and the start of an erection. He looked down at her; she wasn't glowing, but he could practically see the hormones emanating off her. He turned to the clerk, hoping the deep blush he now felt would reinforce the charade she was trying to provide; when he noticed every male within 20 feet looked exactly like he felt.

She reached her hand out and touched the clerk. "Josh, is it?" She said after glancing at his name tag. "Is there any way we could do this without Eliot using his card? His wife, well, soon-to-be-ex-wife, has been trying to ruin are little _visits. _We'd really prefer not to leave a credit trail, if you know what I mean?"

The clerk, Josh, was having a hard time speaking; but his supervisor, slid down the counter and checked them in. He allowed Sam to leave a large cash deposit. As the elevator doors closed, on the way to their room, every man in the lobby felt like they had suddenly woken from a trance, and been slipped a Viagra.

As soon as the door closed, after the valets, all three that had been on duty had offered to help with their bags, and declined tips on their way out; Sam turned to Amelia and asked. "What the hell was that?" She just smiled at him as he turned and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

"That was fun. I haven't done that in centuries." She poured herself a glass of water, opened the balcony window and enjoyed the breeze from the lakes while waiting for Sam to finish what she had started.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 39

As she waited for Sam to come out of the bathroom, Amelia sat on the small balcony of the hotel room. So much had happened in the last hour. Starting with the sudden change of their plans because Apsu had sensed the nearby presence of a donor. Which was troubling to her on so many levels. How had neither she nor the trapped god seen this before tonight? Both of them had some degree of precognition; Apsu's was limited to things related to his curse. But Amelia's was a much broader power. It was how she knew of Sam's, and Amelia Stone's futures after the goddess' leaving.

Amelia still wasn't positive she should have told Sam what Apsu had told her, that the donor would find them. Trusting a future, that she should have been able to see but hadn't, troubled her; and she knew how Sam felt about destiny and fate. But, she did know she had an absolute trust in Sam. She had trusted him with Apsu's vision and he had trusted her with his and his brother's future.

It felt like this evening was unfolding per some unknown plan. 'If _the One_ is jerking us around again, I'm going to be so pissed.' Pulling into this hotel because of traffic, needing to use such a large love glamour on the clerk to get checked into the room. It had all happened so fast. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and looked into the future that the spell would create. Amelia saw the three babies conceived tonight because of the effect on the men in the lobby. She smiled when she saw the hotel would gain a reputation as a lover's retreat and eventually change its name to the Aphrodite. It would not be the first time the Greek Love goddess had gotten credit for her work.

She looked deeper and saw the legend would be spread in large part because of the older clerk that had taken over when Josh had been reduced to a drooling mess. He had not had an orgasm in five years, since his orchidectomies for testicular cancer. Her spell had given him his first sustainable erection since the surgery. It was unforeseen circumstances like these that created the memories that got her through the lonely centuries.

Her only concern regarding the spell was the possibly of it being detected by something else. But, with Crowley being safeguarded by Death and the Leviathans in disarray, she didn't think she had put them in any jeopardy. Sam had been pretty upset. She was going to have to calm him down; although the noises coming from the bathroom told her he was almost done with that. "Crap", she said to herself. She had accidently seen and felt what Sam was thinking about while he was orgasming. She felt herself blush deeply as the intense images of the two of them; wrapped each other arms, flushed, breathing heavily and climaxing together; filled her mind. She took a couple of deep breaths and then started chanting. "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen…."

X

Sam had come out of the bathroom intending to _rip Amelia a new one_, but when he found her on the balcony, reciting the elements, he had just stood watching her and trying not to laugh. That the goddess had been caught in her own spell was amusing and endearing to him. Sam cleared his throat to get her attention when he felt himself reacting to the adorable picture she made.

"So, what's the plan?" Sam asked as Amelia came in from the balcony. "How do we let them 'find us'?"

Her stomach rumbled first and his quickly followed, almost if on cue. It had been hours since they had grabbed a snack at the racetrack. "I think we find some place to eat." They smiled at each other; the tenseness of a few minutes ago forgotten.

Sam looked through the local dining guide in the room and found a place within walking distance of the hotel. Amelia checked the cooler; the spell she had placed on the bottles was preserving the two fluids in the perfect condition. Sam secured the room; making sure no one, alive, dead or anything in-between, could get to their precious cargo. Sam had already splashed some water on his face, so Amelia ducked into the bathroom to freshen up; and then they headed out to find food and be found by the donor Apsu had sensed.

They didn't know if they should stroll leisurely to be seen, or if they should hurry to their destination. Which would get them where they were destined to meet the donor? The light breeze from the lakes made their walk through Madison a pleasure, so they ended up strolling. That was until their stomachs reminded them there were two goals to the walk.

They didn't make it to the grill they had picked out of the folder; stopping at a place with an outdoor seating area. The salads had just been delivered when Amelia started hearing someone's thoughts. 'Nah, it can't be.' 'He looks so different, but I'm sure that's Sam.' 'Who's that with him; and where's Dean?' The area was busy and people were moving about; Amelia couldn't find whoever it was that had recognized Sam.

"Sam." Amelia spoke very quietly. "Someone here knows you. I can hear their thoughts." That was when Amelia noticed Sam was already discreetly eyeing the crowd.

"Yeah." He glanced at Amelia. "I can't hear their thoughts but I sure can feel someone eye-balling us." He instinctually started to slide his arm off the table to check his weapons, when Amelia touched his arm.

"I don't sense any malice or danger; it's more like curiosity." She smiled when he brought his hand back up and took hers. "Besides, we're here to be found."

By the time their entrées arrived, Amelia was 'hearing' more than thoughts; at least two people were actually talking about recognizing Sam. There were just too many people in the area for her to find the source of the voices. She didn't share that with him, he was tense enough. Besides, she still felt no malice or threat in either voice. They both continued to scan the faces of the people around them as they picked at their meals.

Amelia could feel the frustration pouring out of Sam. They knew the donor was close enough to see him, but had made no attempt to contact him. He wanted to stand and shout 'anyone here know who I am'? But he knew that was somewhere between unwise, impractical and suicidal. He was raising his hand to get the waiter's attention to bring another beer; when a tall young man with reddish-brown haired stepped up to their table.

"Sam?" Asked what turned out to be a teenage boy on closer inspection; a boy wearing a Lake Manitoc High Football jersey.

"Lucas?" Sam asked in response, standing up next to the table; and then noticed a pretty, dark-haired woman approaching. "Andrea?"

"Oh my God, it is you!" The woman said as she reached the table. The three of them stared awkwardly at each other for a few seconds, and then Sam and the woman clumsily held their arms out to embrace each other, ending up in a tight hug.

As Sam and Andrea let go of each other, he turned to the boy. "Lucas, man, you have really grown." And then Sam embraced Lucas in another hug. As he pulled away from Lucas, Sam could feel the amulet vibrating and thought to himself 'I guess I don't need Amelia to know how Apsu feels about Lucas. Oh, crap, Amelia'. He turned to find her watching him, with an expression that said she had heard everything he had just been thinking.

"Lucas, Andrea, this is a friend of mine, Amelia." He introduced the mother and son to the goddess.

"It's nice to meet _both_ of you. Could you join us?" She asked and pointed to the extra chairs.

As the Barrs exchanged glances, and then pulled out the chairs to sit; Sam gave Amelia a questioning look because of the way she had said 'both'. The waiter returned with the beer Sam had ordered, and noticing the new faces asked what he could get them.

"We've already eaten." Andrea said to the waiter. She turned to Sam and added, "We can't stay long. Lucas has an early meeting with the U of W Football recruiter in the morning."

"That's great, man." Sam said and smiled at Lucas. But he had no idea what to say next. With his thoughts, he asked Amelia 'now what?'

"This is really a lucky meeting. We were heading north to see you in a day or two." Amelia said trying to ease into the difficult conversation. A conversation they shouldn't be having in a crowded, public place.

Sam may not be able to read minds, but he knew how to follow a lead. "Andrea and Lucas; I need your help." He paused. "Could we go someplace a little more private to talk?"

Lucas and Andrea exchanged anxious glances. Amelia could see their hesitation wasn't about helping Sam; it was because of the meeting in the morning.

"Sam." She said and gave him a look she hoped said 'trust me'. "Maybe they could meet us somewhere tomorrow. It is kind of late, and Lucas has that meeting in the morning."

"Yeah. We could do that." Lucas quickly agreed. Andrea was also nodding her head.

Amelia took Sam's hand to calm him down; feeling the irritation rising in him. "That's a plan then."

X

Sam, Lucas and Andrea exchanged phone numbers before the Barrs left the restaurant. Sam quickly paid the check, and he and Amelia also left. As soon as they had a little bit of privacy, Sam turned to Amelia and angrily asked, "Why did you let them go like that? I thought we supposed to find a donor tonight?"

"We did." Amelia replied calmly. "Apsu didn't say we would collect the donations tonight." They both paused as a group of people passed them. "And, by the way; you do still need me to tell you what Apsu thinks, Mister Smart Ass. Because, he wants both Lucas and Andrea. You found two donors tonight."


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 40

"What?" Sam asked in surprise.

"You were right about Lucas. Apsu says he still loves Dean is thankful for what he did for them." She stopped as they joined a group of people waiting to cross the street. After they were alone again, she continued. "But Apsu also sees that Andrea still loves Dean for saving Lucas."

They had been walking through downtown Madison, headed for the lakefront. Sam found them an empty bench, most of the others being occupied by young couples, and they sat down. Amelia scooted very close to Sam and lifted his arm over her shoulder. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Trying to blend in to our surroundings." She said with a smile and snuggled a little closer into his side. "Now, we look like any other canoodling couple."

"Canoodling, really?" Sam asked chuckling.

"What? It's a perfectly good word, and I like the way it sounds." She replied almost giggling.

Sam relaxed and found canoodling was very comfortable and reassuring. They both just stared at the lake for a minute. "So, what do we do about Mike? We were going to contact him tomorrow?" Sam asked breaking the silence.

"You just couldn't just enjoy the gorgeous night, could you?" She said in mock annoyance.

X

They sat for a few more minutes. Amelia said they could call Mike in the morning, while they were waiting for Lucas and Andrea to be available. The breeze from the lake started to chill and neither of them were very comfortable, so they headed for the hotel. Sam asked if Apsu had said which fluids the mother and son would donate, and how he should ask the Barrs for the fluids.

Their discussion was put on hold as they entered the hotel lobby. Amelia could sense her spell still weakly lingering in the air. Sam saw that Josh and the older clerk were still on duty and pulled Amelia close to his side. He looked down at her and then nuzzled the top of her head. When she looked back up at him, he whispered. "Got to keep up appearances, you're supposed to be my mistress, remember?"

She saw Sam wasn't being affected by the spell but was just trying to tease her. She smiled back at him sweetly as they walked to the bank of elevators. Just as the elevator doors started to close, she reached behind him and grabbed his ass, making him jump. "Appearances," she said with a smug smile when he glared at her.

By the time the elevator doors opened on their floor they were both laughing hysterically. As soon as Sam opened the door to the room, Amelia darted in and called first shower. She quickly closed the door after dodging Sam's attempt to outrace her to the bathroom. Amelia shed her clothes as she waited for the water to get warm.

It had been a really long day; hours in the car, the musty pawnshop, the racetrack. She'd also used her power several times; talking to the horses and giving that owner a taste of his own medicine, the love spell in the lobby. Then, of course, there was all the excitement; not the least being the images she'd seen while Sam was in the bathroom before they had gone to meet a donor. She could still smell his scent in the room. She stepped into the shower and quickly washed the day out of her hair and off her skin; then she turned down the hot and let the cold water cool down her re-blushing body.

Half an hour after she had closed the bathroom door, she was drying off and remembered she hadn't grabbed her sleeping stuff. Amelia opened the door and called to Sam. There was no answer, and she couldn't hear any thoughts. She quickly wrapped a towel around herself and came out of the bathroom, worried about the quiet. She stood there, hair cold and dripping and clutching the towel; and watched Sam snore.

He was sprawled prone over most of the bed. They had gotten a room with only one bed. It would have been impossible to convince the clerk they were here on a tryst if they had asked for two beds. She grabbed the shirt Sam had given her to sleep in and went back to the bathroom to finish drying her hair. When she came back into the room, it occurred to her; she had lived close to a thousand different lifetimes but had never experienced Déjà Vu. She went over and pulled off his shoes and threw the bedspread over his sleeping form, just as she had a week ago.

Amelia sat on the edge of the bed and brushed back some hair from Sam's face. If it was possible, he was even more beautiful without any stress or worry marking his face. She wanted to lift one of his arms, slide under it and snuggle up next to him. Maybe, she could fall asleep thinking he loved her as much she loved him. Instead, she bent down and kissed his forehead; then got up, found the extra blanket and pillow from the closet, turned out the lights and lay down on the sofa.

X

Despite being more comfortable than Missouri's sofa, Amelia didn't sleep very much. Sam was still soundly asleep when she finally gave up; got up and dressed. She made herself a cup of tea and went out onto the balcony to watch the sun start to wake the city. After a few minutes she heard Sam yawn, stretch and get out of bed and head to the bathroom.

"Amelia?" He called as he came back out of the bathroom.

"I'm out here." She called back. She heard him turn on the coffee-maker before joining her on the balcony.

"What happened? I remember you going to take a shower…"

"You must have been exhausted. You were passed out on the bed by the time I got out of the bathroom."

Sam wondered, for just a second, if she had made him pass out; but trusted her more than that. He looked at her closely. "Did you get any sleep? You look horrible."

"Thanks. That's just what every woman wants to hear in the morning." She replied, and then added. "I think it might have been leftover effects of the spell I used in the lobby. Well, that and the fact you seem to be able to sleep at the drop of a hat." She gave him one of her mock glares as she walked past him into the room.

"Sorry." He said as he followed her inside and went over to collect his cup of coffee. As he was taking his first sip of coffee, he noticed the blanket and pillow on the sofa. Dean was always commenting on how he took up a whole bed when he slept, he could imagine the sight he had made when Amelia came out of the bathroom. "Sorry." He said again.

"Don't be, it was a lovely sight." She said, and winked at him. "Just couldn't find a section big enough to join you."

"Would you stop reading..." He stopped what he was going to say, and thought 'Oh, who am I kidding.' He turned and started gathering his shave kit and clean clothes. "Let me grab a quick shower, then I'll buy you breakfast to make it up to you."

X

Sam kept his promise, and was in and out of the bathroom in 15 minutes. They headed to the hotel's continental breakfast; which was much nicer than the last one they had tried. Even though there were very few other guests, they didn't discuss their plans; which made for a quiet and awkward meal. After eating, both eagerly headed back to the room, and the freedom it provided to talk.

Sam asked again about the fluids the Barrs would be giving. "So, maybe you still need me to translate after all?" Amelia asked teasing Sam again about his thought last night. She shared what Apsu had told her after meeting the mother and son. Lucas would be asked to share bile, and Andrea spit.

"Do I want to know why?" Sam asked, only half joking.

"I don't know if you want to know, but you need to understand the choices." Amelia said, mostly seriously. "Lucas was unable to talk and was having the visions because he had been swallowed up by seeing the evil of the vengeful spirit in the lake. With you and your brother's help, he digested and expelled the evil that had consumed him. Bile represents that digestion."

"And Andrea?" Sam asked seriously.

"As I mentioned, spit, or phlegm, represents the lungs and breathing. You two saved her, and her son, from drowning, you kept them breathing."

They sat quietly for a while, Sam finally broke the silence. "Okay then."

Lucas' appointment would keep him and his mother unavailable for a couple more hours; so they decided it was time to call Mike. Sam dialed the motel's number; it rang a long time before a boy's voice came on the line. Sam took a chance. "Asher?"

"Yeah. Who's this?" Mike's little brother asked.

"I'm a friend… Well, no, I knew Mike a few years ago; we worked on a, uh, project, together. I was trying to find him." Sam got out clumsily.

There was a very long pause, and then Asher's voice got very quiet when he asked, "Is this Dean, or Sam?"

Sam looked at Amelia, who was listening in, as usual. She looked very worried but nodded her head, indicating he was talking to Asher and he was human. She reached up and put her hand over the phone. "Sam. It is Mike's brother, but this boy is distraught. Something is very wrong."

"It's Sam, Sam Winchester." Sam could also hear the turmoil in his voice. "Asher, how do you know our names?"

"Mike told me everything two years ago before he left for college."

"Asher, can I talk to Mike?" When he didn't respond, Sam asked. "Asher, what's wrong?"

Amelia gasped, and then shook her head, from where she was listening next to Sam.

Asher's voice crackling, he finally answered, "No. He died two days ago."


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 41

Sam held onto the phone, but his hand started to fall away from his face, he was so shocked. Amelia eased the phone out of his hand. "Asher? I'm a friend of Sam's. We're so sorry about your brother. Is there anything we can do?"

Sam regained his composure, and he took Amelia's usual position and was listening in on the conversation. They could hear Asher moving and a door open and close. "Just needed to get away from my mom; I don't want her to hear this." Asher spoke at a more normal level, after the earlier near-whisper. "They say it was an accident, but I think somebody, or something, killed Mike."

Sam took the phone back from Amelia. "Asher, what happened?"

"Is everything Mike told me about you guys; and what you do, true?" The boy asked.

Sam did the math in his head; if Asher was about seven when he and Dean had been here, that would make him about 15 now. Sam hoped Mike hadn't really told Asher everything when he was only 13 years old. "Asher, what did your brother tell you?"

"He said it was a witch-like thing that made me sick when I nearly died as a kid; and that these two guys, Sam and Dean Winchester, he made me memorize your names, killed it and that he had helped."

"And what makes you think something killed your brother?" Sam couldn't bring himself to shatter a young life if Asher didn't know the truth; and he wasn't admitting to anything over the phone.

"He told me. There'd been a lot of weird shit that had happened to him the last few weeks. Two days before he died he told me he thought a witch was out to get him."

Sam looked at Amelia and she nodded in agreement, not needing to read his thoughts. "We'll be there tomorrow."

X

They got a little more detail from Asher and his cell phone number; he didn't want his mom knowing anything about this. It turns out Mike had become very interested in the paranormal and supernatural; following and researching stories whenever he had time. Before he had left to go away to college at Indiana University, in Bloomington, he had told Asher about his encounter with the Shtriga, and Hunters. He had made him memorize the Winchesters names, and some basic protections he had learned, in case anything ever happened to him. It's why he had asked if it was Dean or Sam; he thought they had finally gotten one of the messages Mike had been leaving on their old phones.

Asher didn't know why Mike thought a witch was out to get him; but he had found a notebook in Mike's stuff, with a lot of weird notes and references in it. And it included a record of all the strange "accidents" that had happened over the last few weeks of his life. Sam told him to keep the notebook safe, but to not try to read anything in it and to not talk to anybody about any of this. He had snorted and said 'Like anybody would believe me. Until five minutes ago, I don't think I believed him.'

After Sam had ended the call with Asher, he and Amelia had just sat and stared at each other, for about a minute. Then they both had gotten busy. Sam had started researching on his laptop the things that Asher had told them. He wondered if maybe it had been another shtriga, out for revenge; but there no reports of several sick children anywhere in the area. Amelia heard him feel guilty for not being there for Mike, when he had tried to reach them. They had changed their phones so many times since they had helped Mike seven years ago; the kid had had no chance of reaching them. She debated trying to offer some reassuring or comforting words; but knew working to stop whatever had killed Mike would be the best way for him to abate his unjustified guilt.

It wasn't until they thought about Andrea and Lucas calling soon, and by this afternoon that they would have two more donated fluids; that it occurred to Sam they had lost one of the fluid donors they had been counting on. He was briefly torn between the need to find a replacement donor and taking care of whatever had killed Mike. Amelia saw it wasn't much of a debate in Sam's mind. He still had ten days to save Dean; whatever had gone after Mike needed to be handled first.

Amelia had decided they couldn't risk taking the fluids with them to Fitchburg. If they were going to be going on a Hunt, the fluids might be used as leverage against them. So, she started looking through the Madison yellow pages for secure cold-storage place while Sam had done his research. It hadn't been hard to find a cold storage/meat locker to rent. Wisconsin was well known for the availability of game and hunting locations; and city-dwelling hunters had to have someplace to store their meat. The second one Amelia called had an available locker, with the 24 hour access they would need; and the proprietor's voice told her he was reliable.

Just as Sam was finishing reserving the locker by giving the personal information on 'Eliot Ness'; Lucas called on Sam's cell phone. Amelia answered while Sam finished the other call on the room phone. "Lucas? It's Amelia. How did it go?"

"Uh, fine. Where's Sam?"

Sam had finished his call and Amelia handed him the phone, adding her nod of confirmation. "Hey, Lucas. I'm here."

"Yeah. So, where's Dean?" Sam smiled, despite himself. Lucas was getting right to the point, just like his brother would.

"He's in trouble and I need your help; it's why I'm here."

"How did you know we were in Madison." Sam could hear uncertainty in his voice.

"I didn't. We were headed to Lake Manitoc; we just stopped in Madison for the night." He didn't want to lie to the boy, but he saw no point in telling him about Mike, now. Sam could hear Lucas relate the information to his mom; and then Andrea came on the line.

"What can we do to help?" Andrea asked without hesitation.

"Can you come to our hotel, this afternoon?" Sam knew how odd that sounded, and then added; "I really don't want to talk about it over the phone."

Sam could hear the Barrs talking for a few seconds, and then Andrea came back on the line. "Where are you staying?"

X

Just as with Haley, there had been some momentary shock when told the situation and what they were being asked to do for Dean. And, just as Haley had done, Andrea and Lucas had both readily agreed to help. Amelia saw Sam was finally starting to understand the impact he and his brother had made on the people they helped.

Neither Sam nor Amelia had put much thought in how to collect the bile and spit from the Barrs. These would be the hardest of the seven fluids to acquire; all the others came out of the body pretty easily. Sam thought about his fluid for a second, maybe easily wasn't exactly the best word to use. Phlegm or spit shouldn't be too difficult for Andrea to cough up; but how do you get bile out of someone? The only thing any of them could think of was to induce vomiting.

Lucas cringed a little but lost none of his resolve to proceed; and he over-ruled his mother's concern about deliberately making her son throw-up. Apsu ruled-out the use of Ipecac to help Lucas start the process, something about contaminating the fluid. That had produced another awkward moment; when Sam and Amelia had needed to excuse themselves to listen to the amulet when it started vibrating around Sam's neck.

They'd all heard stories of bulimic girls inducing vomiting by sticking a finger down the throat; well, all but Amelia. She was shocked when Sam explained why they would do that to themselves. Lucas found it to be a lot more difficult than he had imagined. Then there was taking a shower in a strange hotel room with others waiting for you just outside the door. Amelia knew this would be embarrassing, but still didn't quite understand why.

By the time Sam was putting the cap on the second Thermos bottle, it had been uncomfortable couple of hours for the Barrs. Sam thanked the mother and son; and they insisted they were happy to help. Again, just like Haley, they wanted a call when Dean safely back; and said to call if there was anything else they could do. Amelia placed a protection spell over both of them before they left; which was a much easier since she could just wave her hand over them as they walked out the door. By the time they got to their car and headed back to Lake Manitoc, they remembered seeing Sam, and vaguely that a woman was with him.

Amelia placed the bottles in the cooler and refreshed its protection spell. They now had four of the seven fluids; and knew Cassie and Sam would donate two more. That meant they only had one donor to locate and have pass Apsu's approval. Sam got out his list to think about who the little god might find acceptable. He still thought Evan Hudson in Mississippi was a good choice; but there was also Jenny Cooper in Lawrence. Cassie had managed to find Krissy and Lee Chambers, and she'd also found Matt Pike was in Oklahoma City. Sam also still thought Melanie Goldman was a strong possibility, but didn't want to have to drive to New York if he didn't need to. He would, because he was so close; nothing was going to stop him now. No matter how far away, he'd find a replacement for Mike.

Mike! He put his list away; he had a job to take care of first.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 42

It was still early afternoon when the Barrs left the hotel, and since Fitchburg was just south of Madison, less than an hour's drive; Sam decided to take advantage of their time in Madison. They took the cooler to the cold storage and secured it with locks and spells. It was possibly the most precious thing he had ever trusted someone else to safeguard; but he agreed with Amelia, they couldn't risk taking it on a hunt.

Of course, he was taking his other valuable asset, Amelia, on this hunt; and he needed to make some preparations. They hit a second-hand store and found her a decent, 'cop' suit, and a place to get a fake ID made. Sam decided they would explain her hair color was the result of a recent undercover operation, rather than have her color it again. She absolutely refused to carry a gun, or any weapon; although she thought the handcuffs were kind of cool.

They also decided to leave the hotel. Even with their adequate cash, the upscale hotel was expensive; and the tryst cover story was a little harder to believe a second night. As they walked out the front door, Amelia couldn't help herself and left another, weaker but longer-lasting, love spell in the lobby. They loaded all the gear in the Tahoe and moved to a motel on the south side of town. They ate at the diner attached to the motel. Amelia smiled and occasionally giggled all through their dinner. Sam was curious about what she found so amusing, but there was something in her eyes that told him it was better he didn't know.

It was only 8:30 when they had unloaded the bags and secured the room. Amelia called first shower again, remembering to take her stuff with her tonight. Sam pulled out his laptop to do more research on the details Asher had given him. He had hacked into the police reports about Mike's accident and the local paper's coverage, and was reviewing the information when Amelia came out of the bathroom. That wonderful wild-flower smell of hers wafted over him as she walked by on the way to her bed.

He went back to his laptop and started with police reports from the University of Indiana, and Bloomington police departments. Asher had mentioned that things had started while Mike was still at school in Indiana. Without Mike's notebook, he didn't have dates or circumstances to cross-reference with the police reports; so, he set his search engine to look for anything involving young men named Mike, college sophomores or listed as unexplained. He glanced over at Amelia and saw she was already asleep. He wasn't really surprised; she hadn't slept much last night.

He got up from the table and stood next to her bed. It felt like it had been days since he had watched her sleep; it hadn't, but she was so miserable that night in South Bend, and snuggled so close to him he couldn't really see her. Sam sat on the edge of his bed and watched the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Despite her bad haircut and its unusual color, she seemed more beautiful to him than the first time he had watched her sleep. 'Crap', he thought to himself, 'I really am in way over my head'.

Sam stood up, went to the other side of the bed and turned back the covers. He came back around and gently picked Amelia up, walked back around the bed, tucked her in and covered her up. She rolled over and took his hand, just as she had at Missouri's. "Not this time." He said as he slipped his hand out of hers. He went back to the table and his laptop. Sam was pretty sure he knew why she had been so upset when she had explained they would have to make love to collect his fluid. It would probably be the first and quite possibly the last time they would be that close, and it would make their parting that much harder. And, because he wasn't 'pretty sure' he loved her any more, he knew he loved her as much as he had ever loved any woman. Even though he wasn't sure if she could even be called a woman.

X

He tried to read the police reports, but concentrating had been impossible after Sam had tucked Amelia into her bed, so he stacked the printouts, turned off the computer and went to bed. But he also found it was impossible to sleep, so he quietly flipped on the TV to a Chicago station and the news just in time to catch the story of a group of self-proclaimed witches, meeting in the Windy City, complaining about being harassed and wide-spread police inaction. Sam huffed his distain; if they were really witches, they'd take care of their harassers with magic. But then the head of the _Studies in Folklore and Mythology_ from Indiana University came on the screen; Dr. Elizabeth Proctor was being interviewed about the harmless and misunderstood nature of the modern witch.

Sam turned up the volume and sat up in bed; listening and watching the woman intently. She gave the impression her interest was strictly professional; but Sam caught several 'tells' in her speech and behavior that told him she was much more personally acquainted with her subject. "It's brilliant." He exclaimed. Amelia stirred but didn't wake. 'Hiding in plain sight,' he muttered to himself. Pretending to be an anthropologist in Mythology and Witchcraft; she'd have a valid reason to openly keep all the tools of the trade in her home and office. Anytime her behavior was questioned, she could just claim to be immersing herself in her studies. Sam would stake his reputation, well, he would if he had one; that not only was that woman a witch, but that she was probably leader of a coven.

As the station went to a commercial, the coincidence that the reporter had used an expert from Mike's college struck him. Except, he didn't believe in coincidence. Mike had thought witches were out to get him; and a large group of witches just happen to be at a convention a few hours away, two days after he died. There were still a lot of unanswered questions, and Sam would start looking for answers in Fitchburg in the morning; but he was positive he and Amelia would be heading to Indiana by this time tomorrow.

X

Feeling he had found a starting point in the hunt for whatever had happened to Mike; Sam was finally able to fall asleep. And despite staying up several hours later than her, Sam was up before Amelia. He looked out at the cloudless summer morning as he stretched. He thought back to last year, when he had briefly taken up running to help keep his mind clear and focused, and not hallucinating Lucifer. For over a week now, he had hardly done anything but sit while driving, or in motel rooms; so, he decided to go for a run. Something was nagging at the back of his mind; but couldn't quite remember what it was. Maybe clearing all the cobwebs with a long run would help him focus.

Sam grabbed a piece of paper from the table, to leave a note for Amelia; and something caught his eye. It was a police report from the Bloomington police department from six months ago. The mother of a young woman was insisting the police arrest a young man, a Michael Sorenson, for attacking her daughter; even though the girl was over 18 and said she was just making out with her boyfriend in his car. The police had questioned the boy because the woman was the head of her department at the university, a Dr. Proctor. But they had not pressed any charges, since it was obvious no crime had been committed; just an over-protective mother trying to make a stink.

And there it was again, coincidence. What were the odds that the University of Indiana had two different department heads with the last name of Proctor? It looked like Mike had been dating the daughter of a witch, and that she wasn't at all happy about it. Asher had mentioned all the weird stuff Mike had experienced had started while he was still at school. The witch had probably started by trying to scare Mike off. So, either it didn't work, or she killed him for some other reason. It had been his experience; most witches were just a little crazy.

His workout forgotten, Sam peeled off his running clothes and started going through his bag for something clean to wear. He heard a sigh from the other bed and looked up to see Amelia, propped up by an elbow, watching him. She smiled. "Just admiring the view." She said.

Sam gave her a half-hearted glare and quickly finished dressing. As he was pulling on his shirt, he told her what he had found. "I think Mike pissed off a witch at school, and she followed him home and killed him."

Her pleasant awakening shattered, Amelia saw how all his research had led him to this conclusion. She hoped Sam was wrong, for a couple of reasons. First, because they both called themselves _witches_, most people didn't understand the difference between the natural energy and healing strength of the Wiccan religion, and learned the skills Witchcraft. If this woman practiced the Craft and had used enough dark energy to kill Mike, she was seriously channeling evil. And, if she was using the name of woman whose life had been destroyed because she was accused of being a witch during the Salem trials; she was just plain vulgar.

Amelia also saw Sam was eager to get to Fitchburg, to talk to Asher and read Mike's notebook. She climbed out of bed and started to dress; when she turned to see Sam watching her. He smirked at her and thought, 'just admiring the view'. She stared at him stoically for a second, then shrugged her shoulders and said, "Fair is fair."

Amelia went to the diner to grab them breakfast while Sam packed their gear into the car. She couldn't sense Leviathan food additive in any of the food being served to the seated diners, or from the kitchen. With the food being safe, it gave her more menu options to choose from; she splurged and got them hearty meals made with the all things Sam had been avoiding from months. As they sat at the table in their room, eating their delicious, safely sweetened, pancakes and waffles, Sam said, "Dean will be so happy he can have his junk food when he gets back."

X

Sam called Asher from the parking lot of the motel before they left since it was less than an hour's drive to Fitchburg and the Sorenson's motel. As he had suspected, Asher didn't want his mom to see Sam; and they made arrangements to meet at a nearby park. That early in the morning, the park should have been nearly empty; but it was July third and crews were setting up displays for the city's festivities tomorrow. Even so, it was easy to spot Asher, sitting alone on a park bench. Sam thought he looked a lot like Mike had when they had been here seven years ago.

"Asher?" Sam asked as he approached.

The boy stood and eyed Sam and then looked at Amelia. "Sam? Who is she?"

"This is Amelia; she's helping me out on a different thing." They had decided earlier to not tell Asher about Dean unless they had to. Amelia nodded her head very discreetly at Sam, indicating the boy was who and what he said he was; and then smiled at Asher and put out her hand to shake his. He warily took the strange woman's hand, and immediately felt some of the pain and fear he was feeling lessen.

"Is there somewhere we can go that's a little more private?" Sam asked, looking around at all the activity in the park. He didn't need Amelia's mind-reading skills to see the boy was unsure of trusting these strangers and wanted the safety of lots of people around. "Asher, it's okay. You don't know me, and you have reason not to trust strangers right now. You pick the place; we just need someplace no one will overhear us."

Asher had seen them arrive and looked over at the Impala. "How about in your car; but my door stays open and I hold the keys."

Sam smiled sadly at the kid. He was smart and knew how to stay safe; and was way too young to know such things. They walked over to the car and Sam gave Asher the keys and let him pick where he wanted to sit. Asher resisted the urge to sit behind the wheel of the muscle car; he didn't even have his learner's permit yet and didn't want anybody stopping to ask why he was driving a car. Sam took shotgun and Amelia climbed in the back seat.

"So, where's your brother?" Asher asked as soon as they were in the car.

"He's on another gig." Sam replied. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it stretched the truth, a lot.

Asher just nodded, pulled Mike's notebook out of his backpack and handed it to Sam.

"Asher, tell me everything Mike said." Sam said as he opened the notebook.


	44. Chapter 44

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. After having such a good time writing my first story the last couple of months; I now have experienced my first (and hopefully last) case of writer's block.

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Chapter 43

Mike had chosen to attend the University of Indiana because of its Folklore and Mythology department. He had become fascinated by the supernatural after his encounter with the shtriga. In addition to all his research on-line over the years, he had been taking martial arts and gun safety classes; and he had spent hours practicing at the range. He'd even taken a Latin class. He wanted to be a Hunter. It was why, before he left for school, he had told Asher about that night seven years ago.

His freshman year in Bloomington, Mike had met a girl. Mary was sweet, funny and pretty. She was also a freshman and her mother worked for the college. Neither had wanted to get serious, at first; they just became really good friends. They stayed in touch over that first summer, and by the time Mike went back to school last fall, they were crazy about each other. They hadn't told her mother about their relationship because Mary knew how over-protective she was, and Mike was going to be declaring his major in her department, and didn't want any special treatment.

But Dr Proctor found them making out in Mike's car one night. After she had failed to get Mike arrested, she had invited him to their home _to make amends_. Mike had told Asher it was the second creepiest night of his life. It was also the night he came to believe Mary's mom was a practicing witch. That was when he had started keeping the notebook.

As Amelia kept asking Asher questions, Sam was reviewing the entries in Mike's notebook. It read like pretty much like every other hunter's journal he had ever seen. Between what Asher had told them and Mike's notebook, it confirmed what Sam had suspected; Elizabeth Proctor was using witchcraft, and had been for long time.

"Asher, I need to see Mike's car. Do you know where it is?" Sam asked. He had enough background information, he needed to check Mike's car for hex bags. The police and insurance investigators hadn't been able to find any mechanical reasons for the steering to lock and gas pedal to stick, at the same time, and send Mike crashing into that cement wall at 80 miles per hour.

X

"So, you think Mike was right?" Asher was asking as soon as he slid into the booth of the diner.

Sam pulled the hex bag he had found stuffed into the back seat of Mike's car. "Yeah, it looks that way." Sam had had no difficulty getting into the impound lot where Mike's car, well what was left of it, was being kept. It also hadn't taken him very long to locate the hex bag.

"So what happens next?" Asher asked while staring at the little leather bag.

"Amelia and I go to Bloomington to confirm it was Mary's mom."

"And?"

"And we stop her."

Asher stared at Sam for a second. "Look, I know I should want revenge, or something. But, revenge won't bring Mike back." When neither Sam nor Amelia said anything, he added. "Can you stop her without, you know, hurting her?"

"Probably not." Sam started to say, before Amelia cut him off.

"We will if we can, Asher." Amelia said while giving Sam a look he knew meant to let her handle this. She could see the emotional pain threatening to overwhelm the boy; and his frustration because he hadn't understood the direction Mike had chosen; and she could sense he was angry at Sam. He rationally knew Mike's death was not the Winchesters' fault, but rational thinking rarely won when so much suffering was involved.

Ten minutes later they were saying their good-byes in the parking lot. After Sam and Amelia were in the car, he turned to her. "What the hell was that all about?"

Amelia gave him a quick glare before explaining. "Asher didn't need the truth. He didn't want to think about anybody else dying." She poked him in the arm to reinforce her irritation with Sam. "You heard what the kid said about not wanting revenge."

Sam calmed down when he thought of how little satisfaction, and how much trouble, revenge had brought him over the years. Maybe Asher was a better human being than he was; because, in spite of everything, he was still looking forward to killing Crowley for what had happened to Dean.

"Besides," Amelia interrupted his musings. "I'm pretty sure I can find a much more satisfying way to stop the witch." Amelia said as she looked at Sam with an expression that made his spine tingle.

x

They had only been in Fitchburg about four hours before Sam had them back on the road again and headed south towards Illinois. It would be a long day, but Sam was sure he could make Bloomington by nightfall. As usual, Sam predicted their travel time very accurately, and they were just outside the college town as the sun was getting low in the western sky and dusk was starting to settle. Amelia would have liked to enjoy the rich landscapes while crossing Illinois and Indiana; but both she and Sam were uneasy about confronting the witch.

They weren't frightened; both of them had dealt with practitioners of the dark arts before. But Sam was used to hunting with Dean. They always seemed to be able to anticipate each other; they were a well-oiled machine that got the job done and watched each other's backs. Sam trusted Amelia, but it just wasn't the same. For her part, Amelia seriously disliked those who practiced Witchcraft because they used the natural, loving energy she had given the planet, and corrupted it by adding dark energy. And while most used it for benign love spells and such; those who learned how to channel a lot of power almost always used it for nefarious reasons.

It took them a while to find a motel room because of the holiday the next day. Sam saw the difficulty in finding a room as a good thing; a town full of strangers would make it easier for them to not be noticed while they hunted the witch. The drawback, with tomorrow being a holiday; it would be almost impossible to get into any government offices to do research. But he could use the advanced hacking skills Frank had taught Dean and that Dean had showed him. After settling in their room, Sam had set up his laptop for research and they started discussing how they would proceed.

"What? Absolutely not!" Sam had replied when Amelia had suggested she go across town to see if she could find the girl, Mary Proctor.

"I read Mike's journal during the drive; the way Mike wrote about her, she'll want to help stop her mom." Amelia replied.

"How can you possibly know that from Mike's journal?" As soon as he said it, he remembered who he was talking to, and that she probably could get a sense of the girl.

"Sam, I can't help you with that research." She said and pointed to his laptop. "But, I could make contact with her, without her mother sensing me; think of it as another form of research." Amelia felt useless in the motel room. She was also a little pissed off because Sam was treating her like she was delicate and helpless.

As if he had been reading her mind, he replied, "I know you could pull it off, but we just can't risk anything happening to you." Amelia sensed he was trying to be supportive but it had just the opposite effect. He was just reinforcing that he thought she wasn't up for the fight. But then she sensed something else; he wasn't being protective because he didn't think she was capable. And it wasn't just because of her role in saving Dean. He had dropped the shield on his emotions that she had been sensing all day; and Amelia saw how much he loved her.

She fought back the urge to jump into his arms and kiss him until they both forgot about the witch. Instead, she debated how to make him understand. "Sam, we need this girl, almost as much as she needs us to free her from her mother's domination."

"Okay. Honestly, how did you get all that from the notebook?"

Amelia held up a small, lavender envelope. "I didn't. This was tucked in the back."

"What is it?"

"It's a letter Mary sent to Mike. It was unopened; he must not have had a chance to read it before he died." Amelia pulled out the single piece of paper. "She knew what her mother had done to Mike when he was here; and warned him not to come back for her." She tipped the envelope over and a small charm slid into her hand. "She was trying to protect him."

Sam stared at the charm dangling from Amelia's hand for a second. "So, how do we find her without letting her mother know we're here?"

"We don't. I do."


	45. Chapter 45

Author's Note: Again, sorry for the delay. You may have noticed I changed the summary, since this is now AU for Season 8.

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Chapter 44

The Fourth of July; a day for freedom and fireworks. Sam still hated the plan Amelia had come up with last night. If he was honest with himself, it was actually a pretty good plan, but it had way too many variables. He may be the bait, but making the plan work rested squarely on Amelia and Mary's shoulders. And that was the part he hated. But, if it worked, Mary would be free of her mother's control and stopping the witch should create plenty of fireworks.

It had started last night when they had called Mary Proctor, after they had found her cell number among Mike's papers. Not only had the girl answered on the first ring, it was like she was expecting someone to call. She'd asked Amelia to meet her as soon as possible. Sam had immediately been concerned it was a trap. But, Amelia had sensed something much different. Mary hadn't known exactly who was calling; but she knew they had come because of Mike, and that they could help stop her mother.

"She's the one with the natural gifts. Her mother has been trying to control her, to use her strength. She knows she has a gift, but I don't think she knows how strong it will become." Amelia explained as they headed to the car to meet with Mary.

"If her mother has this tight control over her, how can she meet us tonight?" Sam asked as he slid behind the wheel. "And will you please tell me where we're going?"

"Well, we got lucky; her mother isn't due back from Chicago until tomorrow." Amelia looked at Sam in the way that told him he wasn't going to like what came next. "And you can't go with me."

"What?"

"Sam, this girl is, or will be, more sensitive than Missouri. She will read your thoughts almost as easily as I can. She wants to stop her mother, not kill her." Flashes of every violent encounter he had ever had with witches crossed Sam's mind. "That's exactly what I'm talking about."

He was going to give her a scowl for so blatantly reading his mind, but knew that ship had sailed. "So, I'll think about bunnies and cute little kitties. There's no way I'm letting you meet this girl without me."

"Even if you could control your thoughts; which by the way, you can't, you still couldn't go." Amelia smiled at him. "She's waiting for me in the women's locker room of her gym."

X

Sam had been about 30 seconds away from storming into the gym and searching for Amelia, when she had walked out the front door with a young woman. They were smiling and laughing; Amelia pointed to the Tahoe where Sam was leaning against the door. The young woman, Sam assumed was Mary, smiled at him as Amelia waved him over to them.

"Sam, this is Mary Proctor." Amelia introduced. "Mary, this is Sam Winchester, the Hunter that helped Mike years ago. The young woman put her hand out to greet Sam. She gasped slightly as he shook her hand.

The women nodded to each other and then Mary went to her car and left. Amelia started for their car.

"Where's she going?"

"Home." Amelia replied as opened the door to the car. "She has a lot to do tonight, before her mother gets back, to put our plan in motion."

"Plan? What plan?"

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Like most cities, Bloomington celebrated Independence Day all day long; with picnics, sports, parades, and fireworks planned for after dark. Amelia had insisted on joining in some of the festivities, despite neither of them getting more than a few minutes of sleep the night before. Sam had spent it researching on his laptop after giving up trying to sleep. Amelia had lay down and pretended to sleep, but Sam hadn't been fooled.

In another lifetime, Sam would have enjoyed all the _normal_ things going on around him; but today he was just killing time until their plan went into action. Well, that's not completely accurate; he was walking around, making sure to be seen. Bait had to be seen for the fish to bite. They had started the day early with Amelia examining the small cave on the north side of town that Mary had said her mother used for many of her rituals. Amelia wouldn't let Sam anywhere near the entrance to the cave, knowing the witch would sense if he'd been there; losing their advantage of surprise. She had neutralized as many of the protections and spells as she could without making it too obvious.

After she finished at the cave, Amelia met Sam in the city. They looked like a couple exploring the city and enjoying the festivities. They hoped no one picked up the fact that the parts of the city they went sight-seeing in also happened to be where the other members of Elizabeth's coven lived. Mary had given Amelia a list of all the witches of the coven. By early afternoon, Amelia had been able to locate and bind all of them from practicing witchcraft. It wasn't that Amelia couldn't have controlled them, but it was just common sense to limit the number of actors on the stage tonight.

In the early evening, when they had joined the crowd at the city sponsored BBQ; Amelia had sensed the witch watching Sam. That had been Mary's part of the laying the trap and why Amelia had needed them to shake hands. Mary was to make sure images of Sam reached her mother. It turned out she probably hadn't needed the thought-filtering spell she had put on Sam; the witch was only able to read her daughter's thoughts. And she hadn't allowed Mary to see her true identity.

It had taken Amelia several minutes to get him to agree to the mind mojo, as he had called it. She understood his reluctance to tamper with his memories; after the nearly lethal insanity caused by his memories of hell. But, it was essential they keep Amelia's true identity hidden from the witch until it was too late for her to escape their plan. Sam had trusted Amelia not to destroy his hard-won sanity. But, he was also concerned because part of working with a partner was knowing their strengths and remembering how they functioned as a team. He had finally agreed when she told him she could remove the spell with a snap of her fingers when the time was right.

Since the witch couldn't read Sam's mind, their plan to lead her to the cave would have to be more obvious. As the BBQ was winding down and people started heading for the park where the fireworks would be, Sam headed the other direction. He didn't have to do anything to make sure the witch saw him; his height made it easy to spot him in crowd. Elizabeth had been watching the hunter so intently; she didn't see her daughter approaching the park until she 'bumped' into Sam.

Even from this distance, she could hear Mary's _planted_ thoughts. If Sam was the bait, Mary was the hook. They acted their scene perfectly. By the time Mary climbed into the car with Sam, her mother was positive Sam was taking a protesting Mary to the cave to destroy the altar. Elizabeth hurried back to her car, made a call to activate the phone tree to notify her coven to urgently come to the cave; and then headed out of town to protect the center of her power. She hoped she could save her daughter, too. She had great plans for the girl's potential abilities.

X

Dusk was well past and the night sky rapidly darkening by the time Elizabeth Proctor approached the entrance to the cave with her altar. The intruders had obviously lit the torches mounted on the walls because light was streaming from the entrance. She sensed some of the protections were missing and attributed it to the hunter who she could hear smashing pieces in the cave. She stepped into the cave to see her daughter sitting on the floor, with her hands tied. The tall man she had been watching all afternoon was getting ready to bring a axe down on her altar. She raised her hand and Sam stopped mid-swing before finding himself on the floor writhing in pain.

Even knowing it was probably coming, Sam never got over the gut-retching feeling of having his body controlled, usually painfully, by an outside force. The pain stopped almost as soon as it started as a loud clap echoed through the chamber. As the pain eased and his vision cleared, Sam could see it was now the witch being held on her own altar by an invisible force. Sam hadn't heard the finger snap but now had all his memories of Amelia back. Amelia stepped over to Mary, touching her face, as she removed her bonds. Sam assumed Amelia had allowed Mary to see her true self, because as Mary smiled up at Amelia, her mother, terror filling her voice, suddenly screamed out, "NOOOO".

"Yes." Amelia said as she turned and took a few steps toward the witch.

"You can't be. You're not real." The witch cried, sweat breaking out on her face as she fought the force holding her in place.

"Really? That's your argument?" She turned away from the witch. "Sam? Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He replied as he got up and dusted himself off.

Amelia turned back to the struggling witch. "I'm not real? A woman with a PhD in Mythology questions the existence of Mother Nature, really?" She sneered at the witch. "They're not coming." She said when she heard the witch wonder where the rest of her coven was. Elizabeth stopped struggling when she realized how easily her mind had just been read.

Sam and Mary had managed to collect themselves and had joined Amelia staring at the witch. "What are you going to do to her?" Mary asked.

"You're part of this?" Elizabeth screamed at her daughter. "You traitorous idiot. You're next; they'll destroy you as soon as they've gotten what they need from you."

"As opposed to you, _mom_?" Mary said with sadness infusing from her voice. "You killed Mike. And you were going to kill me as soon as you had my power."

"How, how could you know that?" The witch asked, shock in her voice.

"Amelia showed me my future; and your plans." She paused before she added. "And what you did to my father."

Elizabeth just stared back at the three of them. "Okay." Sam said. "I think that's enough family bonding." Muttering under his breath he added. "And they say Dean and I are dysfunctional."

"You're right, Sam." Amelia laid her hand on his arm, removing the last vestiges of the painful spell the witch had used. She turned back to the witch. "You have two choices here Elizabeth. You can allow me to bind you from ever practicing black magic again, and strip your memories of what you have learned…" Amelia paused.

"Or?" The witch replied viciously, already knowing her other choice; having seen it in her daughter's thoughts. She turned to Mary. "You'd let them kill me?"

Mary stood up straight and took a small step nearer her mother. "It's not my choice, it's yours. All I ever wanted was a mother who loved me. I still do. Let her help you get rid of all this," Mary waved her arms around the cave. "Become the mom I always wanted." She pleaded with her mother.

"Go to hell!" The witch screamed at her daughter.

"You first." Sam said as he raised his gun.

"Enough!" Amelia said, leaving no room for further discussion. "I had hoped you would choose the binding on your own, for Mary's sake. But, your right, there was never any choice." Amelia closed her eyes and started chanting quietly to herself. After a couple of minutes, she opened her eyes and Elizabeth felt the force binding her release and that she was completely void of all her power.

Mary took a step towards her mother. "Get away from me you cow. You've helped them destroy my life." Her mother yelled at her.

As Mary turned to run out of the cave, she ran straight into Sam. He instinctively embraced the sobbing girl, trying to offer her some comfort. Sam, preoccupied with the weeping girl, took his eyes off of Elizabeth for a second. The, now former, witch wasn't sure which made her angrier; that she had been bound from using her power, that her daughter had turned against her, or that the hunter saw as her as no threat anymore and was ignoring her.

In a last desperate move, Elizabeth Proctor reached behind her and grabbed the small knife still lying on the altar. Mary gasped, her mother's intentions flooding her mind. Mary grabbed the gun from Sam's hand, pivoted and shot her mother just as she was raising her arm to throw the knife at Sam. Sam quickly turned the girl away from her mother, using his body to shield her in case Elizabeth wasn't done, and took the gun out the girls' hand. He rapidly scanned the cave, looking to see that Amelia was safe. He hadn't seen her move but she had backed several feet away from where she was standing between the girl and her mother.

"It's over Mary." She said stoically. Amelia nodded at Sam to take the girl out of the cave. As he was herding her away, he turned to see Amelia make a tight fist and a small glow come from the bullet hole in the corpse.

As Amelia joined them outside the entrance to the cave, she answered his unspoken question. "I melted your bullet. They'll find her at someday, there can be nothing tying this to you."

Mary looked between Sam and Amelia. "Someday? One of her coven will find as soon as they know she's missing."

Amelia gestured with her head that Sam should move the girl back. As Amelia bent down and picked up a large rock, the first salvo of fireworks could be seen and heard rising over Bloomington. She closed her eyes again, this time taking a deep breath. As she opened her eyes she hurled the rock at the overhang covering the entrance to the cave. The resulting explosion and subsequent cave-in was masked by the next burst of fireworks from the near-by city. Sam covered Mary with his jacket to protect her from the dust and flying debris.

When Sam uncovered the two of them, he found Amelia standing right in front of them, not a speck of dust on her anywhere. She smiled sadly at Mary. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The two young women stared at each other for several seconds. Sam wondered if they were having some psychic conversation until Mary asked. "You knew. You knew all along this is how it would end?"

"There was always hope that you could reach her, get her to turn away from the evil that had consumed her."

Mary looked back at the pile of rocks that had been the entrance to the cave and was now her mother's tomb. "So, now I've found the power my mother had been waiting for; just in time to kill her." She gave Amelia a pleading look. "Can you bind me? Keep me from ever using the power?"

"I could. But, I won't." Mary started to protest. "Yours is a natural gift, and you have a pure heart that will help you do beautiful things."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked. When Amelia gave him one of her glares, he added. "Just checking."

X

They had all driven back into Bloomington, fighting the traffic of the crowd leaving the fireworks. By the time they were standing on the sidewalk in front of Mary house, Sam was sure the two psychics had been 'chatting' most of the trip. He felt a little left out but trusted Amelia to fill him later if he needed to know.

"You're sure you'll be okay?" Sam asked Mary again. "You know what to say to the police?"

"My mother got home from her trip and I haven't seen her since I left for the fireworks." The young woman rolled her eyes at him. "I've got this Sam."

Amelia moved to stand next to Sam, and Mary threw her arms around both in a tight embrace. "Oh!" She said as she pulled back from hugging them, her face blushing deeply red. She looked at Amelia. "I see what you mean." She turned and smiled at Sam, blushing a little deeper before she turned and walked to her front door.

"What was that all about?" Sam asked, not sure if he wanted to know. But from the look on Amelia face, he was sure she wasn't going to tell him.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 45

Sam left Bloomington, Indiana very unsettled. Elizabeth Proctor, the witch that had killed Mike Sorenson, was dead; and her coven disbanded and powerless. On the surface, that looked like one for the win column, but he wasn't sure. Mary Proctor had lost the young man she loved, and then was forced to kill her mother. He knew she would not recover from that easily. The young woman had also come into her own supernatural powers. And even if Amelia was positive Mary was destined to do good things with her natural gifts, Sam's personal experience with supernatural powers left him doubtful.

There was also whatever Mary had seen when she had hugged him and Amelia. She had implied Amelia knew what she had seen. Neither woman had seemed scared by the vision; but he really disliked others knowing his future. Destiny was still a dirty word in his vocabulary.

Forgetting anything to do with Mary or Elizabeth Proctor, they still had to identify and locate the seventh donor to save Dean from Purgatory; and exactly one week left to do it. The name still at the top of the list was Evan Hudson, mainly because Greenwood was the closest.

He was also exhausted. Even though they hadn't slept the night before, neither he nor Amelia had wanted to stay in Bloomington a moment longer, so had hit the highway in the middle of the night. He had headed east to connect to the I-65 South, and had hoped to make Louisville and the Kentucky border before stopping, but had only made it to Seymour before he couldn't drive anymore.

By the time he had checked them into a room, he was running on fumes. As he brought the last of their gear in from the car, he saw Amelia was already laying down the salt lines. He was still filthy from the dust and debris of the cave-in that buried the witch, but he was just too tired to care and fell onto his bed.

Amelia was almost as tired as Sam, but the thought of climbing into bed covered in the dust from the witch's cave was more than she could bear. She finished securing the room, shed her contaminated clothes and climbed under the soothing shower. She stayed under the water a long time, trying to rid herself of the sorrow she felt. They'd had no choice in killing the witch; Elizabeth had been totally engulfed by the evil she was using. But she hated that she was racking up such a large body count. They may have all been possessed by evil, one way or another; but they had all been humans, too. She would continuing to do whatever was necessary to save Dean, but really hoped Elizabeth would be the last death she helped hasten.

She wasn't happy with the future she had left Mary to face, either. The girl would come through the police investigation of her mother's disappearance without difficulties. It was the more distant future that would be difficult. Her powers would be discovered, as would her affiliation with Amelia. It would cause renewed interest in the mysterious stranger that had appeared from a collapsing building in Spokane. Mary would be guided, by circumstances beyond her control, into being the leader of the cult that would form because Mother Nature's return to the planet.

And then there was Sam. She sensed the unease he had felt tonight. Even as he collapsed on bed she knew he was approaching that point where he would be ready for the final revelation related to the ritual to free his brother. She hated that he had to go through what was coming, and hated it even more because she couldn't be there to help him.

When she finally came out of the bathroom, she saw Sam was in exactly the same position he had been in when she headed for the shower. She had only been back on Earth six weeks and only been with Sam for eleven days; but it felt like an eternity. And she knew how absurd that sounded, because she had spent thousands and thousands of years coming and going from this planet. Why did this exquisitely beautiful but equally as damaged man affect her so much? She wished she had more time to explore the question. But in seven days, after collecting his donation, she would help him bring his brother out of Purgatory and be sent back to the void to wait her next coming.

Mother Nature took Sam's shoes off, yet again; and threw a blanket over his still frame. She turned out the lights and climbed into her bed. She had been lying there a few minutes when she felt moisture on her cheek. At first, she thought she hadn't dried her hair well enough; but realized tears were escaping her eyes. Maybe the shower hadn't been long enough to wash away all the pain. She couldn't remember the name of the movie that had been on the TV the night they had eaten the pizza, but a line from it started running through her mind. "I'm too old for this shit." She felt a few more tears roll down her face as she drifted to sleep.

X

Sam wasn't sure which woke him up; his bladder that felt like it could explode, his mouth that felt like he had sucked on gravel all night, or being so hungry he could eat a horse – no, make that a herd of horses. He headed to the bathroom to take care of two out of the three. Seeing his reflection in the mirror gave him quite a start, so he decided to take a shower before finding something to eat.

He'd been in such a hurry to get to the bathroom, he had forgotten about Amelia. He looked at her now and saw she must have taken a shower before going to bed. They had been so preoccupied finding Mike's killer the last two days; he hadn't had time to just watch her sleep. If they had enough time, he'd let her keep sleeping; because it had become one of his favorite parts of their days together. But, Greenwood, Mississippi and Evan Hudson were almost a thousand miles to the southwest.

He sat on the edge of Amelia's bed and touched her arm to wake her. She stretched her arms over her head, arched her back, moaned and then blinked her eyes open. She smiled as her eyes focused on him. "Good morning." She whispered as she yawned.

Her entire body looked warm and inviting, and he could still smell that wildflower scent she always had after a shower. It was just too tempting. "Morning," He said as he stood up to get distance himself from Amelia's inviting presence. "We need to get up and get going." He added as he grabbed some clothes out of his duffel. Amelia got up as he was gathering his clothes and headed to the bathroom. He was dressed by the time she came back out.

"You want me to find something to eat while you get dressed, or wait and we get something to go?" Sam asked as she was looking for clean clothes.

Amelia saw how anxious he was to get on the road; and how close he came to giving in to his desire for her. As much as she wanted him, too; she knew they had to stay focused on the plan now that time was crucial. "You go find something to eat and I'll get us packed up while I dress."

He headed for the door. He turned and looked back at her before stepping outside. "Thanks." He said, knowing she would know it had nothing to do with packing their gear.

X

Sam was cursing himself for his timing as they crept through Louisville on the I-65 during the morning rush. As they were clearing the outskirts of the home of the Kentucky Derby, Sam asked Amelia if she wanted to stop and smite any more horse breeders.

She was getting ready to make a comment about a hunter she'd like to have colic, when she saw he was just trying to relieve the tension that had been in the air since he had woken her. "Do we have time?" She asked in her best naive voice.

He turned to look at her, thinking she had missed that he was joking; when she beamed a huge smile at him. As they both started laughing; Sam though again, how much Dean would like this woman.

They sailed down the interstate and reached Nashville in three hours, just In time for a late lunch. After the meager breakfast, Amelia insisted they find someplace to have a real meal. Sam asked the kid behind the counter of the convenience store, where he filled up the SUV, for a recommendation. As they sat at a picnic bench with the rest of the lunch crowd, overlooking the Cumberland River, they enjoyed the best Barbequed chicken, coleslaw and cornbread on the planet. Or, at least, that's what the sign said. Amelia didn't have anything to compare it against, but Sam did; and he couldn't disagree.

The next leg of the trip was on the I-40 heading west. Sam figured it should take about four hours to get to Memphis, and from there they would head south toward Greenwood. He glanced at Amelia; she appeared to be concentrating, staring at his chest where the amulet hung around his neck.

"Tell me about Evan Hudson." Amelia asked when she noticed Sam watching her, just as they crossed the Tennessee River. "Why do you think he'll be our seventh donor?"

Sam wondered if Amelia was asking for herself or the god, but he was happy to have something to talk about; the monotony of the interstate and the huge lunch were making him sleepy. "Evan was this nice, normal guy. But, his wife was dying of cancer. He made a deal with a cross-roads demon; he sold his soul to save his sick wife. Evan was actually the fourth person we found who had made a cross-roads deal in that town."

Sam paused, remembering how worried he had been about Dean's mental state at the time. "It was a short time after our dad was killed. We hadn't talked about it, but we were both thinking he had made a demon deal to save Dean." Sam sighed, knowing Dean would always carry survivor's guilt about what their dad had done. "By the time we talked to Evan, Dean was so angry; I was afraid he'd do something really stupid when he went to find the demon and break the deal."

Amelia could see all the conflicting thoughts racing through Sam's head. The pride he'd had in Dean for resisting the taunts of the demon; instantly followed by his sorrow and anger about Dean selling his soul a few months later to save him. She could see images of everything that had occurred since then threatening to overwhelm Sam. Amelia knew it was time, so she asked if they could pull over for awhile. The sound of concern in her voice brought him back from the edge of the dark abyss of all those memories.

"I'm okay." He replied, knowing she must have seen all the turmoil those memories invoked.

"I know you are. But, I'd still like to stop and stretch my legs." She replied, she had to get him to stop. Sam was pretty sure she was just saying that to get him to take time to clear his head. "You know, the world does not revolve around you mister." She stated, and it took Sam a second to realize she was responding to what he had just thought. She'd also used what Jody would call her 'mom' voice; so he pulled off at the next exit.

Amelia pointed them at a small store near the end of the exit ramp. She was halfway through the door when she asked if Sam wanted anything. He just shook his head, trying to avoid thinking about anything until she was inside the store. The second the door closed behind her, he was out of the car and running down the dirt road that started next to the store.

He hadn't wanted to admit Amelia was right, but he needed to move. He had felt uneasy since they left Indiana. He needed to run, run so hard and fast that he wouldn't be able to think. It had been one of the ways he had fought off the images of hell and Lucifer. He needed to make his body work so hard that the only thoughts in his head were putting one foot after another on the ground and breathing enough air to keep going. He didn't want to think about the last seven years; years of death, destruction and pain; of Dean sacrificing himself over and over again. Who was he kidding; Dean had been sacrificing his life for _his little brother_ a lot longer than seven years.

Sam kicked up his pace, this wasn't working. The harder he tried to run away from the past, the faster the images bombarded his mind. His vision started to narrow, dark tunnels closing off the periphery. He had no idea where he was or where he was going. 'Nobody does.' He heard a voice say as he burst through a large, heavy door. Suddenly, he found himself in a courtyard surrounded by a cool, shaded portico. He was no longer breathing heavily and his clothes were fresh and comfortable.

He heard voices approaching and his Hunter's instinct told him to hide, but he seemed frozen in place; when one of the voices called out, "Sam! It's so nice to see you again." As he looked toward the voice, he saw Apsu walking in his direction. "Come out of the sun, join me."

"No, that's okay. I'm good here." Sam replied, backing away slightly from the approaching god.

The god smiled at him. "You're not dead, you know?" He held out an iced drink. "And you're not hallucinating, either."

Sam thought he should be scared, or at least, concerned. But, he believed the smiling god, and he took the cool drink. "Okay, if I'm not dead or dreaming; you mind telling me what's going on?"

"I wanted to talk to you, without Tiamat." He gestured to the same chairs they had all sat on before. "I'm sorry for making you so uncomfortable, but it was the only way to get you here."

"Here? I'm in the amulet? I thought only Amelia, sorry, Tiamat, could bring me here?" Sam asked.

"Well, the first time, that's true. But, coming back is easy."

"Easy? You call that easy?" Sam stood and started pacing. "I felt like I was going crazy, again!" He paused as something occurred to him. "Does this mean my body is laying somewhere along that dirt road?"

The god just shrugged his shoulders. "You needed escape your physical plain of existence. She'll find you and protect you."

"She knew about this?"

"I told her I needed to talk to you."


	47. Chapter 47

Author's Note: I changed the summary to reflect the direction the story has taken. Thanks to all of you who have stuck with me.

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Chapter 46

"Amelia knew I was coming to see you?" Sam asked the god as he sat back down.

"Of course." Apsu replied as he refilled Sam's glass. "She saw it was time. That you were ready for the final instructions of the ritual."

Sam stared at Apsu, dumbstruck; too many questions running through his head to know where to start. And swirling among all his other thoughts, was a feeling of betrayal. Amelia had known this was coming and had kept it from him.

"Sam. Please don't hold any of this against Tiamat. She was absolutely prohibited from telling you." The god said sympathetically. "This will be a lot to absorb, but we must hurry and get you back to your body." He reached over and touched Sam's knee. "Are you ready?"

Sam took a deep breath and tried focusing. "Okay. Lay it on me." The perplexed look on Apsu's face made Sam clarify. "Yes. Tell me what I need to know."

The ancient god shook his head. "There isn't time to _tell_ you everything, most of it I will just _show_ you." He said as he started to raise his hand towards Sam's forehead.

Sam quickly shifted back in the chair. "Now wait just a minute. I've had way too many people putting crap in my head the last couple of years."

"Yes, I know. But, there is no other way. I'm afraid you're just going to have to trust me."

Being in an alternate reality, in a small piece of metal hanging around his own neck; being asked to trust a trapped, ancient god, who happens to be the ex-consort of the woman with whom he was in love; to learn a ritual to get his brother out of Purgatory…Sam laughed nervously to himself; and this wasn't even the most messed up situation he had faced in his screwed up life.

"Can you answer a question first?" Sam asked.

"Of course."

"Is this going to work? Will I get Dean back?"

The god smiled warmly at him. "Yes. It will now." He replied cryptically. He stood and held his hand out, gesturing Sam to follow him. Apsu walked toward the large door Sam had recently come through. "Tell her, tell her I still.." He smiled sadly as he started to lift his hand. "Just, be good to her. She loves you; more than any of the others; more than me, I think." And then the god put his hand on Sam's forehead. Sam slammed his eyes shut as a blinding light hit his eyes and he felt himself being pushed through the door.

With a deep breath he felt his starved lungs fill with air. Sam blinked his eyes a few times before they fully opened. He was expecting to find himself sprawled out along the dirt road he had been running down, but instead found himself laying in the shade under a large tree. His eyes finally came into focus to see Amelia's concerned face looking down at him. It was then he realized his head was in her lap and she was soothing him with a cool, moist cloth.

Amelia stopped her ministrations when she saw he was conscious. She opened her mouth to apologize; but Sam put his fingers over her lips and shook his head. If he wasn't going to let her beg for forgiveness, she'd search his thoughts to see how deeply he was hurt. She gasped when the only thing of Sam Winchester she could 'see' was his grinning face.

"He didn't tell you, did he?" Sam asked her. For the first time since he had met Mother Nature, she was speechless. The betrayal and anger he had felt upon learning she had known about his existential journey were gone. He looked up at Amelia his mind still dizzy with all he had been shown by Apsu. But, one thought was absolutely clear; their love would save Dean and possibly the world.

He clasped her hand as she wiped his brow with the cloth, brought it to his lips and kissed her fingers. "Since you can't read my mind anymore, I'll just have to show you what I'm thinking." He let go of her hand and reached both hands up, cupped her face and gently pulled her down and kissed her.

X

Sam had been surprised he had been unconscious for over two hours after Amelia had found his body along the road. She had come out of the store, after getting the bottles of water she knew he would need after his journey; and gotten into the car to follow him. It had taken her less than five minutes to find where his empty frame had fallen; and she had him laying in the shade and was cooling down his body within minutes. He was surprised because it had felt like he had only talked to Apsu for a few minutes. He guessed he shouldn't be surprised; it wasn't like this was the first time his mind and body had experienced time differently.

By the time he had been able to stand, their itinerary to Greenwood was way off schedule. Of course, the half hour they had spent laying under the shade tree canoodling, and he hated to admit Amelia had been right-it was a really good word, didn't help their travel plans.

It was almost six o'clock when they got back on the interstate, with about two hours to Memphis. Sam had refused to talk about his visit, or the things he had been shown, during their time under the shade tree or while driving. He told Amelia they would talk about once they had stopped for the night, and agreed they shouldn't try to make Mississippi tonight. Sam could see the curiosity, and her inability to read his mind, was annoying Amelia no end. He took a small, perverse pleasure in watching her squirm for a change; at least partly because he knew she couldn't _see_ how much he was enjoying her discomfort.

By the time they found a diner, ate, and checked into a motel on the outskirts of Memphis, and had brought all the gear in from the car; Amelia was ready to explode. As Sam put the last bag on the floor next to his bed, she pushed him face-down onto the bed and sat on him, pinning him to the bed. "Time's up! Tell me already."

Sam laughed as he easily rolled out from under the much smaller woman, and now had her pinned down. He leaned down for a kiss, but she turned her head and all Sam got was a mouthful of hair. "Really?" He asked as he raised his head up. "You've wanted to have sex for a week."

"True." Amelia said, and then she reminded him who he was dealing with; flipping him over as easily as a pancake. She was standing at the bedside before Sam knew what was happening. "Except, I believe I said 'make love', not have sex." She said as she assumed the same stance she had at Missouri's and when buying the Tahoe; except different because hurt was clearly in her eyes.

He realized his teasing had gone too far. "I'm sorry. Please come sit" and he patted the bed, "here with me; and I'll tell you everything Apsu said."

X

Sam gave her the choice to ask about the topics she wanted to hear; or just have him recite everything the, rather long-winded in Sam's opinion, trapped god had shown him. Since she thought she knew a lot, if not most, of what Sam was to learn; she opted to ask questions. She started with the part that had taken her by surprise.

"Why can I no longer read your mind?"

Sam smiled, but when she glared at him, he quickly replied with a straight face. "It was his gift to me." When she looked at him in disbelief, he elaborated. "He asked if there was anything I wanted, as a reward for what I had and will go through. I said 'getting Dean back is all I want'. Then he said he didn't mean as a reward for the ritual; he said 'as a gift for taking care of you'"

"What!" Amelia asked, jumping up from where she had sat down next to him. "What does that mean? That I'm some troublesome diva that you've had to put up with or protect!" She was pacing back and forth. "Who does he think he is?" She turned on Sam. "Who do you think you are; that you accepted a gift from him?"

Sam had watched her rant and fought back laughing at her. "When you quit yelling at me and sit back down, I'll explain."

She stared at him, but then remembered she couldn't read his thoughts. "It better be good; or you're both in a world of trouble." She said as she sat back down, but on the far side of the bed.

"Well, despite your little display," he started but stopped when she narrowed her eyes and he could almost feel the anger shooting out of them. "He meant,' taking care of you', as in my loving you as much as he did." Sam turned to look at her, the glare was gone, and so, he continued. "He said he knew it wasn't easy for a _mere mortal_ to be in love with a goddess, and was there anything he could do to help us." He looked again, and saw tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know what he had in mind, maybe some kind of power, or maybe a bigger penis, who knows."

He smiled and hoped she knew he was trying to lighten the mood. "I told him 'I want to have some mystery, be able to surprise her, be able to express my feelings in words. That I thought knowing what I'm feeling, sometimes before I even do, was cheating." He avoided looking at her this time. "I don't know how he did it, but he said he could prevent you from reading my mind." He looked at her now. "Amelia, Mother Nature, Tiamat, whatever you want to call yourself; your ex thought I was worthy of you, wanted to help us be happy, so you're stuck with me. It's just; now, you'll have to trust me as much as I trust you; no more peeking behind the curtain."

She had no idea what a curtain had to do with anything since she had never seen _The Wizard of Oz_, and now, she was unable to understand cultural idioms by reading his mind. But, she didn't need to read his mind to know what he said was true; his face was an open book. All her other questions disappeared and she scooted around the edge of the bed and sat right next to him. She thought she probably owed him an apology for her outburst, but knew he'd never accept a straight forward expression of remorse.

"Huh. Tell you what." She said with in a dead pan tone. "You've got about ten seconds to start making it up to me." Then she stood, sat in his lap, straddling his legs and stared him in the eyes. "Ten, nine, eig" She didn't get any further before he pulled her face to his and kissed her like the world might end if he didn't.


	48. Chapter 48

"Ten, nine, eig" She didn't get any further before he pulled her face to his and kissed her like the world might end if he didn't.

Chapter 47

If their timetable to Greenwood, Mississippi had been delayed by Sam's other-worldly trip into the amulet; the next 16 hours they spent holed up in the motel in Memphis destroyed it completely.

They had most of their clothes off before either had needed to break the kiss to breathe. Despite almost no foreplay, unless you counted the last week of sexual tension; they were both climaxing within minutes. The rest of the night, they took their time; exploring each other's bodies and going places neither had been before.

At some point during the night Sam took time to memorize every inch of Amelia's tattoo; tracing his fingers, and then his lips, over the lines and curls. The image was like his, a simple design that invoked feelings of safety and commitment. But hers also represented connection and community, a primal sharing, that his did not. He supposed he should have been surprised when the skin over the tattoo tasted different. They both had been sweating for hours and their bodies were covered in salty sheens. But, over her tattoo, the skin also had that familiar wildflower essence; leaving a taste like honey in his mouth.

It wasn't until mid-morning, when the maid knocked on the door, waking them; that the passage of time seemed real. Sam quickly threw on some clothes, ran to the office and paid for another day. When he returned, Amelia was already in the shower. He wondered if the magic they had created last night was over; when he noticed she had left the bathroom door open. Amelia had never done that before and Sam hoped she meant it as an invitation. She hadn't, but she let her appreciation of shower sex be known, twice.

By Two PM they had been able to keep their hands off each other long enough to get dressed and go out for something to eat. They were both famished and dehydrated; and the rest of the after-lunch crowd watched the tall, long-haired man and the small girl with bright red hair eat like they hadn't seen food in a week. Neither had wanted to risk ruining what was happening to them by talking about, well, anything outside the little bubble they had created the moment Sam had kissed Amelia.

"So." Amelia said as she swallowed a mouthful macaroni and cheese. "You going to tell me what Apsu said?"

Sam had known it was time to return to reality, too; but Amelia had beaten him to it. "Yeah, but not here." He replied as he looked around the diner. "And, I think we should get on the road. We can still get to Greenwood before it gets dark."

They both stopped eating; knowing, sad smiles on their faces, and sighed. Last night would never happen again; even if Amelia was Mother Nature, that kind of lightning only strikes once. Besides, they had a lot to do and only six days left. But, as Sam finished his food; something occurred to him; and since Amelia couldn't read his mind anymore, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "You were right, last night was so much better than masturbation."

Amelia started choking on her food, still not used to his thoughts taking her by surprise.

X

"He didn't really tell me much of anything except what I said last night. He did this Vulcan mind-meld thing, and .." Sam trailed off when he saw the perplexed look on Amelia's face. "Sorry, I guess I got so used to you reading my mind.. it was a TV show, never mind."

They had packed the car and checked out of the motel just in time to hit another evening rush. Sam had given Amelia the same choice as last night, as they were creeping out of Memphis going south on the I-55; questions or repeat everything. This time, with no hurry, she opted to let Sam tell her about the encounter in his own time.

But he stammered trying to think how to explain everything he had been shown. "Maybe, you should ask questions, I have no idea where or how to start."

"Huh. You having second thoughts about blocking my mind-reading, are you?" She teased him.

"I didn't hear you complaining when I snuck into the shower this morning." He replied, grin on his face.

"No. No, I didn't." Amelia smiled back at him. "Well, let's start with last night. What changed your mind about having sexual intercourse before we have to collect your donation?"

Sam stared out the windshield for a long time before answering. "This is a lot harder than I expected. I mean, I can see and remember everything, but it's hard to put into words." He turned to look at her. "Maybe you were right; you think I could get Apsu to reverse the mind-reading thing?" As he asked the question, the amulet started vibrating violently and got very warm. "What the hell?" Sam yelled as he pulled the necklace off over his head, and handed it to Amelia.

Amelia held the amulet in front of her face and did the head tilting and nodding thing that told Sam she was communicating with the trapped god. Several minutes went by; Sam decided to take the first exit he saw, afraid it might not be a good idea to drive with an agitated god in heavy traffic. After he came to a stop on the shoulder of the ramp, he noticed Amelia had closed her eyes; and that the amulet had stopped vibrating.

"Well? What got his panties in a bunch?" Sam asked, but then realized she probably wouldn't understand the question.

She turned and looked at him, then reached across the car and hung the necklace back around his neck. "He said we're driving him crazy." Then she smiled at him and added. "And he doesn't wear underwear, so they can't ride up his ass."

It took Sam a second to realize what she had said. "Just like that? He removed the block, just like that?"

"Well, he ranted at me for quite a while. And, he said he'll be glad when Dean gets back; because, even if he doesn't get to be freed; we've given him more trouble in two weeks than Dean did in over 10 years."

X

Sam looked up Evan's number and called him while they were stopped on the exit ramp. He remembered Sam and Dean, and agreed to meet Sam as soon as he got into town. They got back on the interstate headed for central Mississippi.

Amelia had volunteered she would try to avoid reading Sam's mind except when they were 'working'; and even though she could now see his thoughts and feelings, they wanted to _talk_ about everything he had seen shown by Apsu, but not while driving. It could wait until after they talked to Evan Hudson and collected his donation.

The problem with that plan, it didn't leave them much to talk about. They both knew last night was off the table. If they thought about that too much, they'd need to pull over somewhere and introduce Amelia to sex in a car. Even if Sam had any pleasant teenage memories of making out in a backseat; the thought of doing it in broad daylight, in Mississippi, with two people wanted by the police was a horrible idea.

Sam decided they could review the logistics and time table of the next six days until the ritual took place. As Sam started reciting the remaining preparations, he remembered something Amelia had said on their way to Lawrence. "Do we still need to try and contact Dean? You had wanted to have Missouri help you tell him the plan."

"I don't think it's absolutely necessary, the ritual should pull him out no matter where he is. But, yes, we need to send him a message." Amelia glanced down at the, now quiet, amulet. "According to Apsu, we need to make sure Castiel is with him, touching him. The spell will pull Dean from anywhere, and bring out anyone attached to him; but since the angel will not be part of the ritual, he can only get out if he's with Dean."

The remainder of the drive went smoothly, and Sam was sure they had covered all the bases. When Amelia asked what baseball had to do with their preparations, Sam knew she wasn't having much luck avoiding reading his mind; and he found it surprisingly comforting. The silent, almost unconscious connection felt like a caress, like an act of love.

Amelia leaned across the seat and whispered in Sam's ear. "If you think that is nice, wait until tonight; I'll show you a connection."

"Damn it Amelia." Sam didn't know if it was the surprise or that her voice exuded sex, but he had to grip the steering wheel to stay in control of the car. After he got his breathing back under control, he still needed to get his thoughts under control. "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium…" She joined him in his recitation, and they both laughed like children as they went through the elements. They had made it to Number 80, Mercury, by the time the exit west to Greenwood was just ahead of them.

As Sam drove them southwest down the two-lane highway, Amelia regaled Sam with a story of one of her encounters with Mercury. It turns out the Roman messenger god occasionally would over-indulge and trip over his winged sandals. As she told the story, Sam remembered the time Dean tripped over his half-untied boots while drunk.

"You know, now that you mention it." Amelia said after seeing the image in Sam's mind. "Old Merc looked a lot like Dean. And, the way he likes to fly around in the Impala; maybe he's Mercury's reincarnation."

The image of Dean wearing winged boots popped into Sam's head. "We so DO NOT share that one with Dean when he gets back."


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 48

They had called Evan from the outskirts of town, to arrange a meeting. Evan's wife was volunteering at their church this evening, and told Sam he could come to the house. As always, Amelia had listened in on the call and had determined it was indeed, Evan. They still had the empty Thermos bottles in the SUV and stopped to pick-up a small cooler on their way through town.

"Sam." Evan said as he opened his front door. He had the look everybody had when meeting a Hunter again, trepidation; Evan's expression also included some residual guilt. But, despite the look on his face, Sam noticed that Evan actually looked better, healthier than he had six years ago. As he stuck his hand out to half of the pair of brothers that had saved his life all those years ago, Evan looked around, behind Sam. "Where's Dean?"

Sam took Evan's hand; and as they shook hands he turned to look at Amelia. After seeing her nod her head, he turned back to the Mississipian. "Evan, this is Amelia. We need your help in finding Dean."

"Finding?" Evan asked, obviously perplexed. But, then, he looked at Amelia. "Where are my manners? A Southern man does not leave guests standing at the door." He stepped aside to let the couple into his home. "Please, come in."

It suddenly occurred to Sam that Evan was different than the others they had asked to help save Dean. Sure, he and his brother had saved his life, and soul. However, all the others had had evil thrust upon them, whether ghosts, wendigos or zombies; but Evan had brought the evil on himself. But, Amelia had given him the sign that Apsu approved Evan, 'didn't he'? He hoped Amelia was reading his mind, as he asked the question.

As Amelia smiled and nodded again, another reservation popped into his head. With all the others, he and Dean had spent some time with them; they had a chance to know Dean. Evan hadn't spent much time with his brother. Sam had been the one to protect Evan, while Dean had dealt with the crossroads demon. Just because Apsu and Amelia approved of Evan for the ritual, it didn't mean he would agree.

"Evan, Dean is in trouble, and we need to ask for your help to free him." Amelia offered; as much to reassure Sam as to start the conversation.

Without a second of hesitation Evan replied. "Whatever you need."

Sam wondered if he'd ever stop being amazed at these people's responses, or at Amelia's ability to know the exact thing to say to dispel his doubts.

X

It had taken them a little longer to bring Evan up to speed than most of the others. Sure, he had come face to face with pure evil when the Hellhounds arrived to drag him to the pit; but he hadn't really seen how the Winchesters worked a case. All he'd seen Sam do was spread some weird dirt on the floor. Dean had been the one to use Devils traps to force the demon to break his deal.

Sam had let Amelia do most of the explaining. He knew Apsu required the supernatural equivalent of fair, if not full, disclosure to make his donation acceptable. She could tell Evan enough to meet Apsu's requirements without telling him everything that had happened in the last six years.

Waiting while Evan had taken his purifying shower had been just as awkward as it had been with the Barrs. And Evan had had to drink several glasses of water before he could make himself urinate; which only made the waiting during the shower seem a whole lot less weird, in comparison.

They had sealed his donation in the Thermos and Amelia had placed it in the cooler, with a protection spell. As they were heading to the door to leave, Sam commented on how great Evan looked. He had replied that it turned out living a good life, thinking and giving to others, really was good for the body and soul.

Sam caught a glance of his own face in the foyer mirror and thought about what Evan had just said. He had spent most of his life putting others, often total strangers, before himself. But he had also broken more laws than he could count, and, of course, there was that whole demon-blood drinking and starting the apocalypse thing. He didn't think he looked too bad for a thirty year old who had seen and done so much; but he felt a million years old.

He felt Amelia lightly touch his arm, and turned to look at the woman helping him save Dean. All those negative feelings and self-doubts disappeared as he watched her smile up at him. They said their good-byes, thanked Evan and climbed into the car. As Sam started the Tahoe, it occurred to him that Amelia was going to save Dean, but she had already saved his sorry ass.

As Sam put the car in reverse to back down the driveway, Amelia leaned over and kissed his cheek. "We're saving each other." She whispered before pulling away. "And I rather like your ass." She added while giving him a very lascivious eyebrow wiggle.

X

The sun was getting low in the west by the time they got back on the I-55 headed north. They had decided to check-in with Cassie in Cape Girardeau, on the way to Lawrence. It was a minimum of four hours hard driving up the interstate. Sam had made that kind of journey a thousand times. But they really hadn't gotten much sleep last night, and it would be difficult. It also meant they'd get into Cape Girardeau late, well after midnight; too late to just show up at Cassie's.

Neither of them wanted to stop for the night in Memphis again. Memphis would always be a magical place for them, and they didn't want to risk anything touching those memories. Sam was reluctant to spend the night in a motel in the Missouri town. He had no idea if Tim, the hunter that had spotted them there last week, lived there or had just been passing through, like them.

"Why don't you call Cassie, see if she's heard anything about Tim being in town?" Amelia suggested.

"Smart and pretty." Sam replied as he grinned at her. He dug out his cell phone and handed it to Amelia. "Why don't you call her while I drive, save you having to listen in?"

Amelia stared at the little electronic device. She had talked on the thing a few times, but she had never actually made a call. Last time she had made a phone call, it had a handset, a wire and a rotary dial. Sam glanced at Amelia, and saw her staring at his phone like it was phaser, no, more like a tricorder.

"I know what _Star Trek_ was and I know this is neither of those things. Just tell me how to dial the damn thing!"

Sam had quickly stopped teasing her after she had given him a glare that was much closer to an _evil eye_ stare. He told Amelia how to find Cassie's number and make the call. While she had been a little surprised to hear Amelia's voice on the phone when she answered; it turned out Cassie knew just where they could stay.

The two women talked for a while before Amelia announced to Sam, as she ended the call, "We're going to spend the night at Cassie's house."

X

For some reason Sam was wary of spending the night in Cassie's family home. He didn't know if it was because Cassie was Dean's ex-girlfriend or that staying there automatically put the young woman in some danger. The Winchesters had a unique way of attracting trouble; the last trip through Cape Girardeau had proved that. Of course, there was that other thing. He and Amelia had promised they would talk about his trip into see Apsu. And, if he was really honest with himself, he was hoping to do more than just talk to Amelia when they went to bed tonight. And while he wasn't as sexually repressed as Dean teased him about; having sex in someone's home kind of weirded him out.

Sam turned to look at Amelia, assuming she had just heard all that he had been thinking; but she didn't acknowledge that she had heard his thoughts. In fact she was staring blankly out the windshield, not seeming to be aware of anything.

"Amelia? Are you okay?"

She blinked a couple times, and then turned to Sam. "Yes. Sorry." Amelia could see the worry on his face and now sensed all he had been thinking. She smiled when she saw his expectations for them tonight. She had very similar plans. "It's a big house, and her mom isn't there; we'll be fine." She answered wistfully to his unspoken concern.

He was glad the arrangements at Cassie's wouldn't change their plans for the night; but he could tell what she had just shared had nothing to do with what she had just been thinking. He also didn't need to be a mind-reader to know whatever she had been thinking about made her sad. Sam wished he could comfort her as easily as she had eased his worries back at Evan's. He reached across the car, took her hand, brought it up to his lips and kissed her fingers.

He knew he didn't have to say anything, she'd know what he was thinking, but he said it anyway. "You can tell me anything." He kissed her hand again, and added. "When you're ready, I'm here for you."

Amelia fought back the tears she felt forming; and hoped he was right.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 49

It had been seven years since Sam had been to Cassie's house, but he found it without any problem. As always, Amelia was impressed with Sam's ability to gauge the length of time their drive would take. Cassie must have had faith in Sam's ability, too. Not only had she left the porch light on, it looked like she was still up and waiting for them. By the time Sam had turned off the ignition, Cassie was standing on the porch waiting for them.

It had been a pretty quiet drive. It was like both of them were holding their breaths until they could safely lay in each other's arms; and talk about what was revealed to Sam, and whatever was bothering Amelia. The only thing they had discussed was Cassie's donation.

They both thought it would be a good idea to collect it now. Cassie had said she wanted to be there, for the ritual, and she could give her blood then. But life, especially anybody's life that was touched by a Winchester, had uncertainties. Sam and Amelia agreed Cassie could come for the ritual, but that they should have all the donations safely in their possession well before July 12th.

As Cassie watched them get out of the car and head toward the house, Amelia could hear her thoughts. Amelia couldn't tell if it was Cassie's _women's intuition_ or her years as a reporter, but either way, she was sure Sam and Amelia's relationship now included sex. By the way she was smiling at them; Sam could also tell she knew the relationship between him and Amelia had changed. Sam avoided Cassie's gaze by looking down at the ground, and then headed back to the car, saying he'd get their stuff. Amelia embraced the young woman, and whispered in her ear. "I hope it doesn't affect your generous offer of hospitality?"

Cassie gasped slightly; she had forgotten Amelia could read her mind. But, then, she smiled at Amelia and replied. "Not at all." The women went to the car to help Sam bring in the bags and the cooler, and they had everything secured within minutes.

Once they were all inside the house, Cassie noticed how exhausted Sam and Amelia looked. "Listen, you two look wiped out. Why don't you go to bed, and we'll talk in the morning." She started up the stairs to show them their room. "Damn. I just remembered, I need to cover a story in town in the morning." She turned to look at the couple. "I should be back around noon. It'll give you a chance to catch up on your _sleep_."

All three of them heard the implied content in her remark; and neither Sam nor Amelia were offended, or argued. After they had set the gear down, and Cassie had shown them the bathroom; she turned to head back downstairs, calling over her shoulder, "There should be plenty of food in frig, help yourselves to breakfast."

Something suddenly occurred to Sam, and he ran out into the hallway. "Uh, Cassie? Where do you keep the salt?" It was a really big house, with lots of windows and doors; he didn't have nearly enough salt to line them all.

Cassie laughed as she stepped to the base of the stairs. "Don't worry, I've just got to get the front door then we're set. I started laying down the salt lines as soon as I knew you were coming."

Sam turned back to Amelia with a perplexed look on his face. "I don't remember telling her about salt lines." And then added mentally, 'You sure it's her?'

"Yes." Amelia replied as she scanned the memories she had of Cassie's thoughts. She laughed when she saw how Cassie had learned about the protective properties of salt. "She's a reporter. She's been researching everything she can since we were here last week."

He thought he should have been reassured by what Amelia said. But, instead his thoughts were about the two women in the house with him. Cassie, who, because he had brought their problems back into her life; now knew about needing to lay salt lines for protection. And Amelia; and how he'd come to depend and trust her so much; he hadn't even thought to test Cassie with holy water, silver or borax.

Amelia heard his thoughts. She agreed with him and regretted how they had changed Cassie's life. And, she understood why he was surprised that he had trusted her so instinctually. He had only ever trusted his brother that way. She had thought he had already crossed that barrier, and trusted her as completely as he did Dean. She searched his thoughts again, and smiled. He did trust her, completely. He just had never thought about; and it amazed him to realize that he could trust another that way. She let out a small sigh of relief; he was almost ready. There was only one more, small step and he would be able to perform the ritual and save his brother and repair the broken seals to Purgatory. She knew that piece was there, in his subconscious mind; Apsu had shown it to him. He just had to bring it into conscious thought.

X

As if reading each other's minds, they both slipped into their bed gear; too tired to do anything but sleep tonight. Even the long overdue conversation about what Apsu had revealed to Sam was put on hold. Sam climbed into bed as Amelia turned out the light. He was asleep by the time she had nestled her head on his chest. She listened to him breathe and felt the rise and fall of his chest for about a minute before she joined him in slumber.

Sam woke first to the morning light streaming in from their window. Amelia was awake and waiting outside the door when he came out of the bathroom. As Amelia came back into the bedroom, she saw Sam pulling his jeans on. "And what exactly are you doing?" She asked him as she closed the bedroom door.

He smiled to himself before he turned toward her, just in time to see her pull his old T-shirt off over her head. He let the jeans drop to the floor as she crossed the distance between them. He bent down and gently kissed her; they pulled back, their eyes meeting and she put her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and as he straightened up, lifting her off the floor, she wrapped her legs around him.

They stood that way, wrapped tightly around each other; eyes locked together. There wasn't the urgency they had felt their first time; or the sense of discovery they had enjoyed in that room in Memphis. They knew each other. They were just enjoying the physical contact, skin against skin. After a couple minutes, she relaxed her legs; and he loosened his hold and eased her to the floor. As she slid down his body, she pushed his shorts down; removing the only barrier between them.

She pushed at his chest and he sat down on the bed. She squatted down, and pulled his jeans and shorts off his feet. Amelia started to kiss her way up his legs; but he grabbed her and pulled her to him when she was only mid-thigh. His sense of urgency was back; and by the time Sam had scooted them up in the bed, so was hers.

X

They tried starting to have their conversation about Apsu's instructions while lying together after coming down from their orgasms. It turned out there was only one thing either of them could think about, and it wasn't talking about preparations for an ancient ritual. There was a short discussion about favorite positions, and then a fair amount of crying out the other's name; but that was about all they managed to say to each other.

Amelia volunteered to find some food while Sam took the first shower. He got dressed while she showered. He stripped the sheets off the bed while she dressed; and they took them downstairs to the washing machine as they went to eat the sandwiches Amelia had made.

"It's almost noon, Cassie said should be back soon." Sam said after washing a bite of his sandwich down with the beer Amelia had found in the refrigerator.

"I hope we left her enough hot water to take her purifying shower." Amelia responded distractedly. And, as if taking it as a challenge, they heard the washing machine finish filling and start to wash the sheets.

"By the time we convince her to give her donation, there should be plenty." Sam replied. "But, that's not what I meant, when I mentioned Cassie." He gave Amelia a perplexed look. Apparently, she hadn't been reading his mind again.

"I know." She turned to him, a small sad smile on her face. "I was just trying to …..divert you."

"What?" Sam reached across the table and took her hand. "You don't want to talk about what Apsu showed me?"

Amelia stared down at their joined hands for a while; she didn't look at Sam when she answered. "I don't _want_ to, no. But I know we_ have_ to."

"Amelia." He said as he reached up to tip her face up to look at him. "Talk to me."

As he spoke, they could hear a car pulling up to the house. Sam went to the window to make sure it was Cassie. As he pulled back the curtain, he was bathed in the bright summer late morning light. He stood there; shining in the sunlight, tall and strong; like the pureness of his aura was emanating from him. He turned his face back to her, smiling and nodded to indicate it was their friend. But, Amelia took it as a sign of so much more.

With only a minute, maybe two, before they were interrupted; a sudden sense of urgency to explain, well everything, possessed Amelia. "Sam. I'm sorry. I know, now, I was trying to put off talking about what you learned from Apsu. I was afraid, if we talked about it, you would figure out you were ready. That you didn't need me to show you the way; that everything you need to know is already inside you."

The words were pouring out of her, racing as she heard Cassie close the car door and her footsteps climbing to the porch. "I didn't want you to just need me as…, as Apsu's interpreter, as your possession detector, as the vessel to collect your donation to rescue Dean." As she stopped to take a breath, he crossed the short distance between them and enveloped her in an embrace; just as they heard Cassie put the key in the front door lock.


	51. Chapter 51

The words were pouring out of her, racing as she heard Cassie close the car door and her footsteps climbing to the porch. "I didn't want you to just need me as…, as Apsu's interpreter, as your possession detector, as the vessel to collect your donation to rescue Dean." As she stopped to take a breath, he crossed the short distance between them and enveloped her in an embrace; just as they heard Cassie put the key in the front door lock.

Chapter 50

Sam was holding her tightly in his strong arms; so tightly, it felt like she couldn't breathe. The soothing sound of his voice, offering words of comfort and love, faded until she just couldn't hear him at all. Then his grip on her was gone, and as she took a deep breath, she opened eyes she didn't remember shutting. She thought she must have been holding her breath longer than she thought; her eyes wouldn't focus on Cassie's kitchen. She blinked a few more times, and everything became clear; except, she wasn't in the kitchen of Cassie's house anymore. And, Sam was nowhere in sight. Actually, nothing was in sight; she was back in the primordial void where she spent the millennia waiting.

"NOOOOO." She tried to scream, except, of course, there was no was no physical being to form the word. It was only her metaphysical mind rebelling against being yanked out of her vessel. "You can't bring me back yet! I wasn't done."

"Relax." The voice of The One permeated through the emptiness. "And, just for the record, I can bring you back whenever I want." His words had the effect he had intended; calming Mother Nature down while reminding her who was in charge. "I'm sending you back to finish your mission. I just wanted to talk to you, to check on your progress."

Mother Nature struggled not to tell him he was full of shit; that he knew exactly how things were going. She smiled to herself; she would never have thought anything like that before spending time with Sam. For his part, having heard her every thought, The One let the insubordination pass without remark.

"Of course I know how things are going; I've been following your progress. Actually, I have an offer for you."

"An offer?" In the millions of years The One had been controlling her existence he had never 'offered' her anything; he had only commanded.

"Yes. As you correctly surmised, this mission was also a test of your character. You were to find your true nature; that you can love another with all your essence. I hadn't quite planned on you figuring out the whole Sam was destined to be the one, thing. But, no matter; you've passed the test. And I want to offer you a reward."

This was getting stranger by the second. Not only was he offering her a reward, he was_ talking_ to her, carrying on a conversation. And stranger yet, he was talking like a used-car salesman. "Thank you; may I ask the nature of the reward?"

"I would like to restore all of your powers to you; to let you clean up the mess that humankind had done to your 'pretty little planet'. And, additionally; I'll allow you to stay on Earth, with your 'Sam'."

If she had been corporeal, her knees would have buckled. It was everything she could ever want; the powers she had lost over the ages, and to be with Sam for as long as he lived. 'Huh, it was everything she could ever want.' If she had learned anything from the Winchester's past, it was if a deal sounded too good to be true, it probably was. "What is the cost?"

"Cost?"

"I've learned a great deal from the Hunter you sent me to find. He would say there is always a price to pay."

"You really have learned well from this man. And it is largely because of him; because you have helped him learn to love and trust himself enough to love another, and that he has returned the favor, that I offer you this gift." Mother Nature thought he sounded sincere in his explanation, but she knew there was more. "Your Hunter would be right; there would need to be a small sacrifice. With you restored to your original, near omnipresence, as a goddess with enormous powers, you would not be a suitable vessel to collect the final donation for the ritual to repair the seals to Purgatory."

"But, but …but the final donation is semen from the brother, donated in an act of love. There is no way Sam could fall in love with someone else in time."

"So, he tries again next time when Venus is at her brightest."

"That would mean Dean, and Castiel, would spend at least another year, assuming they could survive that long, in Purgatory."

"So; the human and broken Angel stay in Purgatory. That does not seem like too much to ask; for all that you would get in return."

"No."

"No?" The One questioned her terse refusal. "Ah, yes, I see it now. It is because your 'Sam' would have to find another woman to love to rescue his brother. So you would lose him even if I allowed you to stay?"

"NO." She replied, anger slipping into her voice. It was clear to her now. He was still testing her; dangling staying with Sam, like he was a carrot; but then hitting her with the stick of making him choose between her and his brother. "I made a promise. I will help Sam get his brother out of Purgatory, which will repair the seals." Again, feeling like she was corporeal because she could swear she felt tears forming in eyes that were only an illusion. "We both know Sam was never mine to keep."

"You would decline regaining your full powers to fulfill a promise to one man? Think of all you could do to restore this planet to its original beauty."

"That's just another carrot." She knew she shouldn't be so disrespectful to him, but she was angry. But, it wasn't beyond him to punish others if she acted out, so she toned down the rest of her response. "It's too late for me to change the course of humankind's path of destruction. Even with all the power I ever had in my possession, the only way to restore the Earth to its natural beauty would be to kill most of the six billion people occupying it. They've made this mess, they must clean it up."

"Well. This Hunter, this Sam Winchester, must quite extraordinary. To make you give up on saving your planet."

"He is. And, I'm not giving up. Did you learn nothing from them stopping the Angel's apocalypse? Free Will. That's what I've learned from the Winchester's past. We may have built this planet for them; but, it is up to them to save it, and themselves." And Mother Nature could swear she saw a light bulb come on, there in the void.

"Finally!" The single word echoed loudly through the infinite space.

"That was my test? To realize they don't need us anymore?"

"No, of course not. They have never _needed_ us. We needed them to want us; to believe in us. They call it faith." He paused to if she understood his message. He could see she had all the pieces but they weren't coming together. "Faith. Faith is the belief in something so strong it makes the unknowable real. You've learned faith.

In the beginning, every moment of every day was a test of faith for them. Ten thousand years ago, it was faith the sun would rise in the east because some mystical being pushed it up every morning. Then they needed to believe their crops would grow, and someone decided it would help if they prayed to a goddess called Gaia. Did you make their crops grow? Of course not. But it made them feel better to believe you did. And you got all the warm fuzzies out of the deal.

Now, you've learned to trust humans enough to let them make their own path. I, personally, don't think they'll pull it off; but like you said, it is up to them now."

"What has any of that got to do with Sam, and Dean?"

"Are you being deliberately obtuse? What stronger faith can there be, than to love and trust another being as much as you do this Sam Winchester? You're willing to come back here, forever, so he can have his brother back."

She'd never thought of the love she felt for Sam as an act of faith; but she could feel the truth to The One's words. Had she misinterpreted The One's actions all these centuries? Had he really only been trying to get her to believe in a love so strong it could be called faith. Bullshit. "Of course, it doesn't hurt that my faith in Sam will get the seals to Purgatory repaired."

"Well, there is that."

She waited, expecting him to say more. But silence hung loudly in the void. "Listen. I hate to be_ obtuse_, especially since you went to all the trouble to bring me here for a visit; just to help me figure out how much I love Sam. But, if there is nothing else, I was kind of busy. Any chance you can send me back now?"

"You seem to have learned something else from this human; your tone lacks respect."

"Actually, it is more from his memories of his brother. They both know 'crap' when they hear it, but Dean is the one who will call out anybody, or anything, and let them know what he really thinks. Sam would stand here and politely try to get you to see reason." She stopped, and then thought of one more fact she should share, "Of course, Sam would be just as likely as Dean to blow your head off, if his argument failed to dissuade you from doing wrong."

The One actually wished he was corporeal for the first time in the millions of years he had been steering the course of this section of the galaxy; because he wanted to grin at the entity that called herself 'Mother Nature'. Maybe, she was finally going realize she didn't need him anymore than the humans needed her. That she would figure out this mission was not to repair the seals to Purgatory. He could do that in a split second, if he wanted to.

Her test had been to find her destiny; and that that destiny did not include him. He was tired; of this rock and of guiding goddesses who were afraid to grow up and find their own paths. But, he had given her enough clues; as she had just said, 'it's her mess, she needs to clean it up'. To her, he said, "You will not change your mind?"

"No."

"Then go back; fulfill your promise. I'll see you back here in six days."

"Six? The ritual is in five days."

"Despite your flippancy and lack of disrespect, I'm giving you one extra day. I will let you meet this brother for whom you are willing to give up so much; and to say good-bye to this man who has taught you so much."

As Mother Nature started to feeling herself be pulled back into Amelia's body, she wondered, again, if she had misunderstood The One's intentions. Was he really going to be that generous and allow her the extra day with the Winchesters, and her other new friends? As she could start to feel Sam's arms holding her vessel, she knew he was not rewarding her. The extra day was to suffer through the torment of leaving Sam, and what they had created; an extra day to see how happy all of them, Sam, Dean, Cassie, Jody, and Missouri, would be. The extra day would be to make sure she knew what her decision had really cost her.

Just as Mother Nature took her first breath back in Amelia's body, she could hear what Sam was saying; heard him whisper, "I don't need you to be an interpreter, or a detector or even the vessel. I need you to make my heart keep beating."

Now, fully back in her vessel, wrapped in the arms of the man who she loved enough to discover the meaning of faith, she felt the tears she had not been able to form while in the void. Sam saw the tears and kissed them off her cheek, murmuring 'everything would be okay'.

Unbeknownst to her, she was about to pass the final phase of the test The One had given her. Because, as she tipped her face up and kissed Sam back, she repeated a line from Sam's memory to herself , when Dean had said, 'Screw destiny, right in the face!'

As Cassie stood in the kitchen door, watching Sam and Amelia kiss each other, totally oblivious to her presence, she knew two things to be absolutely true. First, as great a kisser as Dean had always been, his younger brother looked to be his equal. And second, the devotion these two had for each other was so strong, there was no way they would fail to get Dean back.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 51

"I hate to intrude…" Cassie said as a way of letting Sam and Amelia know she was there.

They both turned to where Cassie was standing at the kitchen door, and grinned sheepishly; and then they reluctantly let go of the other.

"We were just having some lunch. Did you eat?" Amelia asked as she pointed to the half-eaten sandwiches on the kitchen table.

"Is that what they call it these days?" Cassie replied as she stepped into the room. Sam thought she sounded just like, and had the same twinkle in her eye; Dean would have had in these circumstances.

Sam cleared his throat, before asking Cassie, "How'd your story go?"

"Fine. And I grabbed a bite on the way back, but I'd love a piece of pie; if there's any left?" Sam laughed to himself; Cassie was not only acting and sounding like Dean, now he found out she liked pie.

Amelia got the pie out of the refrigerator, while Cassie got plates out of the cupboard; and then they all sat down to finish their lunches. Sam asked if there had been any sign or word of Tim, the hunter they had avoided last week. Cassie said she had been able to determine he had just been passing through town.

Cassie updated them that law-enforcement hadn't reported any 'Amelia' sightings for a week; although there were hundreds of sites popping up in the blogosphere about her. She asked if Sam or Amelia knew anything about some strange reports out of race track in Chicago, an unexplained rock cave-in in Indiana, or a hotel that had suddenly gained the reputation as being a lover's paradise. The overly blank expressions on their faces told her all she needed to know; and she made a mental note to add those to her growing database.

Cassie had learned a great deal while researching the people of Sam's list, and supernatural phenomena, in general. Cassie had devoted almost every free minute she'd had in the last nine days to scouring the internet; and she'd even made a few trips to a local library with a nice selection of really old Mythology books. As she shared some tidbits, and asked Sam if they were true; he was impressed with all she had learned. With anyone else, Sam might have worried about them trying to 'go public'. But, Cassie knew better from her previous encounter with the vengeful spirit that killed her father and his friends. But, she also knew, if, or more likely, when, the rest of the world learned the truth; she would be ready to write the story of the century. She started when she remembered Amelia could read her mind.

Amelia heard Cassie's thoughts; and hoped she could tell her, someday, that the book would be a world-wide sensation. For now, she looked at their hostess, grinned and nodded her head slightly. "So, Cassie, when the time is right,…" She paused to make sure Cassie understood she was giving her two messages. "We'd like you to go to Lawrence, in preparation for the ritual."

"What?" Sam said surprised. They hadn't talked about that. He noticed the looks the women were sharing, and knew immediately, there was more to the conversation.

"Actually, I think you should come with us when we head to Kansas, tonight." Amelia added.

He and Amelia had discussed heading back to Lawrence, to meet with Missouri and Jody; and trying to contact Dean, to send his brother the basic details of the plan. But, Sam didn't remember anything about bringing Cassie with them. He trusted that Amelia knew what she was doing; but her face gave him no clues to her thinking.

Amelia smiled at him, and then turned to Cassie. "We want to try to send Dean a message, let him know the plan. There are two others waiting for us there; I'm thinking it might be good if you were there, too."

"Tonight?" Cassie asked stunned. "You're driving all the way to Lawrence and contacting Dean tonight? Do Missouri and Jody know you're coming?"

"We haven't called them yet." Sam joined the conversation; curious about what Cassie had just said. "Cassie, have you been in contact with Jody or Missouri?"

"Yes. You gave me their contact numbers. I called to make sure they got to Lawrence safely."

"Did they?" He asked. Amelia could see that their three comrades had spoken often.

"Yeah. Missouri is waiting for you at her place. She says it's quiet; nobody has ever tried to contact her. Jody went back to Sioux Falls. After you were spotted in Toledo, they forgot all about her, too." When neither Sam nor Amelia said anything, she added, "She can be back in a day; and plans on being there on the 12th."

X

Sam learned Cassie had been in near constant contact with both Missouri and Jody. She brought Sam and Amelia up to date on activities in Lawrence and Sioux Falls. Jody had had more trouble with the administrators of her city, over her sudden disappearance, than she had had with the FBI. But she'd come up with a plausible cover story, and everything was under control. They had both also obtained new cell phones, as a precaution; and Cassie gave him those numbers.

Amelia and Sam shared their decision that they should try to reach Dean somewhere other than Lawrence. It was going to be difficult enough to reach Dean without drawing a lot of unwanted attention; and they didn't want anybody or anything being drawn to the area of the ritual. The closest other weakened seal was in Bootback, Kansas; where Cas had opened a portal to steal the souls from Purgatory. The plant, that had been Crowley's base, was near Leavenworth, only 75 miles from Lawrence.

Cassie volunteered to call Missouri and let her know the plan; but she also told Sam there was no way she could leave for Kansas tonight. She had to let her mom know she was leaving town and to make arrangements for someone to run the paper, in case something went wrong.

"Cassie. I'd like to assure you 'nothing will go wrong', but…there are just so many variables." Sam said. He thought this would be the perfect time to bring up getting Cassie's donation before they left for Kansas. "Cassie, we also wanted to ask you to share your fluid donation for the ritual, today."

Cassie had thought she understood what she had gotten herself into; that between the horrors she and her mother had faced seven years ago, and all she had learned from Sam and the internet in the last two weeks; she thought she knew how dangerous this could be. But, hearing Sam ask her to give a few drops of her blood, now; because she might not be here in five days….

Amelia gasped when she saw what Cassie was thinking. Trying to think of a way to reassure Cassie, it suddenly occurred to Amelia, she had never told Cassie her true identity. They had told her she had come from another dimension, as a partial explanation of her mind-reading abilities. Amelia decided she knew how she could reassure Cassie that she would live through the next few days. She also thought the young woman had earned the right to know, she had done so much to help them.

"Cassie, I'd like to tell you something to help ease your worries." Amelia looked at Sam before continuing. "Also, you deserve to know; I can do much more than read minds. I have seen the future, and you are there. After this, your life will always be intertwined with the supernatural, and the Winchesters."

Sam couldn't resist. "I thought you were supposed to be reassuring her?"

Amelia gave him a quick glare, even though she knew he was teasing them. She reached across the table; and just before she touched Cassie's hand, Amelia said. "Cassie, I have had too many names, over too many centuries; but I have most commonly been known as Mother Nature." Cassie felt Amelia's hand touch hers, and suddenly she was no longer fearful. She'd swear she could hear Amelia telling her how she would live a long and eventful life; except she couldn't see her lips moving.

Cassie had no idea how long she sat there; feeling at peace and hearing whispers of her future dance around in her head. When she looked up, she saw Sam had left the kitchen; and Amelia, no, wait, Mother Nature, was washing up the lunch dishes at her sink. Amelia took a dishtowel and started drying her hands, as she turned to face Cassie.

"I'm sorry to set that on you so suddenly, but we wanted you to understand; you are not now, nor will ever be, expendable to us. Taking your donation with us tonight is just something we both feel is necessary. We need to have all the tools at hand, in case we don't get back to Lawrence until just before the ritual." Amelia felt like she was lying, although every word was true. She had just left out the part about 'nobody will come after you if we already have your donation'.

"What? What do you mean 'back to Lawrence'? I thought you were going to someplace called Bootback?"

As if scripted, Sam walked through the door. "After we try to reach Dean through the weak seal in Bootback; we're heading back to Madison, Wisconsin. Four of the fluids are safely stored there; we should be there and back in two days. But, like we said, lots of variables."

Cassie looked at the two of them. She thought she had learned a lot about the supernatural things that were really out there; but Sam had been hunting them his whole life, and it turned out Amelia was one. If she had ever learned anything, it was to make sure you could trust the people with whom you were working. She remembered the devotion she had seen in them, when she walked into the room a couple of hours ago. She knew she trusted her ability to judge character; and she decided to trust her earlier assessment of Sam and Amelia.

"So, I think you said something about me needing to be purified?"

X

As Sam sat with Amelia in Cassie's bedroom, waiting for her to get out of the shower, he was glad she was the last. Because, it was just as awkward this sixth time, as it had been all the other times before. He had gone to their room and collected the cooler and Thermos; and Cassie had gone into the bathroom and started the water. She had been surprised that the purifying ritual was so simple. She had read about some pretty elaborate rituals during her research.

Sam watched as Cassie took one of his silver knives and made a small cut in the palm of her hand. She made a fist, squeezing, and held it over the small opening to the container; and he watched the blood drip freely into the Thermos. It occurred to him, obtaining the other fluids hadn't required the donors to injure or cause themselves pain. Was Cassie chosen to give blood, which could not be given as easily, and painlessly, as the other fluids; because she had more invested in saving Dean than the other donors?

If that was true, what was going to be his pain? He was the one to whom Dean meant the most. He looked at Amelia and saw her looking back at him, with sadness in her eyes. It was then that Sam understood what Amelia had been trying to tell him since, at least, Canton. He may not have to physically hurt himself, like Cassie had; no, his pain, while also self-inflicted, was going to be emotional. The act of collecting his fluid would not be the cause of the pain; hell, he had spent much of the last two days discovering the pleasure he could have with Amelia. But, as soon as they had collected his semen from her body, he would only have a matter of hours left with Amelia.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 52

It was early evening when they left Cape Girardeau heading northwest, using state highways, toward Columbia, Missouri to catch the I-70 west to the Kansas Cities. Bootback was just north of the twin border cities; near Leavenworth, Kansas. Sam figured it was a six to seven hour drive; and for once, it would be late enough, they wouldn't get stuck in a large urban area rush hour. He figured they should reach the old water treatment plant and reservoir along the Missouri River about 2 AM.

Cassie had called Missouri Mosley while Sam had been loading the car. The psychic was relieved to hear from all of them; and agreed that trying to contact Dean somewhere other than Stull Cemetery was a good idea. She wasn't happy with the time they were to meet, or as she put it, 'that's a god-awful time of day'; but said she'd have no trouble getting there.

Going back to the place where Castiel had loosed the Leviathan on the world, and Sam's hallucinations of Lucifer had started to dominate his mind, was not his idea of good times. But, the only other nearby place, where the barriers between dimensions had been breached, was Carthage, Missouri. Bootback might have horrible memories for him; but he still thought it was better than the place Lucifer had slaughtered most of a town to bring Death forward.

The first two hours passed quietly, both Sam and Amelia were lost in their own thoughts. Just after they crossed over the I-44, about half way to Columbia; Sam pulled the car over to the side of the road and broke the silence. "I understand what Apsu showed me, I do. And I believe, really I do." He paused and turned toward Amelia. "But, now, I finally see what you've been trying to tell me. I'm having a hard time reconciling the two."

Amelia had seen it in his mind, at Cassie's, when Sam had started to realize what the ritual would cost them, both. She had deliberately avoided reading his thoughts since they had started driving. They were both finally ready to talk about Sam's visit into the amulet, and what he had learned from the god. They both knew how important this discussion was to be, and had wanted to be able to concentrate solely on each other. It was why they hadn't wanted to do it while on the road. But now, time was precious because they needed to reach Bootback tonight.

"Sam, I know this isn't how we planned on having this conversation; but why don't I drive, so you can talk?" They stared each other for a second, and then they climbed out of the car and switched places. Amelia could navigate the rest of the trip through central Missouri, while he talked about his readiness to save his brother, and the world, again.

X

"It's strange, I felt like I was in there, with him, for just a few minutes; but when I woke up, it felt like he had been talking to me for ages. And, out here, I was unconscious for over an hour." He thought he should be used to the differences, in how time was experienced, in the various dimensions. Inside the amulet was the fourth, no, the fifth dimension; if you included this one. He was going to call this dimension 'the real one'; but that expression seemed so irrelevant to his life anymore.

Amelia knew he didn't need any prompting, and she was determined not to read his mind. He needed to talk about it, to express it in the words he wanted to use; not have her see the unfiltered randomness of all his thoughts. Being behind the wheel, having to concentrate on driving; made it easier for her listen to what he would say, and not hear his thoughts. So, she just turned to glance at him and let him know she was ready to hear whatever he needed to say.

"I have so much I want to say; but I still don't know how to start." He looked over at Amelia; and a familiar warmth spread over him. "Scratch that, I know exactly where to start. You asked why I changed my mind about having sex." He stopped, smiling at the memories of the last two days. Even trying to avoid his thoughts, his emotions where so strong, Amelia knew what he was remembering, and smiled back him.

"Apsu asked if Dean would expect me to sacrifice experiencing happiness. I had refused you because I thought he would, he had been so upset when I had sex with that girl when he was taken by the fairies. But, Apsu helped me see it wasn't the same. First, because I didn't have a soul then, and I had just been satisfying my selfish physical needs. That's all that girl meant to me. Also, you and I weren't just going to be having sex, we would be making love. Dean would never want me to sacrifice a chance of real happiness."

"Remind me to thank him for that bit of wisdom." Amelia said with a grin. She needed him to move on to another subject; because she was having a hard time concentrating on the road, and staying out of his thoughts.

"Well, that kind of led into the rest of his message. He told me, as the primary donor, the blood relative; I had to understand the nature of my love for Dean. That my _purified love_ had to be more absolute; that it would take more than a simple ablution for me to be purified."

Amelia nodded, knowing he was almost there.

"The next thing Apsu said to me was, 'I know you would be willing to die for your brother, but are you willing to live for Dean?' I had no idea what that meant.

So, he clarified. 'Do you think Dean spent most of his life caring for and protecting you, as a way to obligate you to him?'

'No, of course not.'

'Then why, despite, or maybe because, of everything you two have been through, and have done to each other, does he still love you unconditionally?'

'We're brothers, family. The night our mother was killed, dad put me in Dean's arms and he carried me out of the house. He told me, he knew in that moment, I was his responsibility.'

'Responsibility is not love. True love cannot be earned, or traded; or bought and sold. It just is. It is given honestly and freely.'

'I love Dean. I know him for all his faults and see him for who he truly is; and even when we were almost killing each other, I knew I still loved him. And I know, even when I was deceiving him and doing horrible things, he loved me.'

'Yes, that is true of Dean. He recognizes your intrinsic values, and loves you without reservation. But, what about you? The level of love required from you cannot be given by someone who does not trust himself enough to know he is worthy of that same level of love. Did you feel worthy of that love, then? Do you understand and trust yourself enough to feel worthy of that kind of love now?'"

Sam had been in a near trance, reciting his conversation with the god. He stopped and noticed Amelia had stopped the car and they were parked in a secluded spot. "He was trying so hard to get through to me; but exploring and talking about your feelings is a pretty foreign concept to a Winchester." Sam actually cracked a small smile as he turned to look at Amelia.

"Yes, I know." Amelia replied, with just a hint of gentle sarcasm. She gave him a small smile, before adding, "You can do this, go on."

Sam took a second before starting again. "I guess he figured the only way I'd see the truth was for him to bring out the big guns. Or maybe a knife would be a better analogy, because he went straight for the jugular.

Because, then he said, 'Lucifer almost had it right, you know; when he said you hadn't been running away from your family; that you had been running toward him.' I wasn't expecting that, and it suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe. Apsu must have seen the terror on my face, because he quickly added, 'I said, almost; but he also had it absolutely wrong. The Morning Star took advantage of your feelings that something was always missing; that if you could find it, you would be happy. You believed you had found it in Jess; but you never trusted her enough to tell her the truth.

Do you know why that is? It is because you never trusted yourself enough to risk trusting that someone else could love you.' He paused until I looked him straight in the face. 'Sam, that someone or something you've been searching for all your life; is in yourself.'

It was weird, this ancient god was telling me to 'love myself', and it was like when I to Psych 101 in school. All I could hear was my dad's voice saying 'we don't have time for any psychobabble'. Even the reference to Lucifer didn't get through to me. The frustration in his eyes was obvious as he said 'I can see why you Winchesters are famous for stubbornness.'" Sam stopped, looked at Amelia and shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know if Apsu knows what a light bulb is, but I could swear I saw one turn on in his eyes. 'Sam, if you won't recognize your worth and honestly see yourself; maybe, if you saw yourself through another's eyes….. She sees you, she knows you, and loves you so much it has given her a faith she has never felt, ever.' That was when it was like an explosion of light went off in my head."

Sam stopped again, remembering the thousands and thousands of images Apsu had put into his mind. Mostly it was a blur of images from the millennia of Mother Nature's lives. But, then his image appeared among her memories. He wasn't positive it was himself, at first; because the man she was seeing; wasn't exactly the face that he had been looking at in the mirror for the last 30 years. He felt something touch his arm, and looked down to see Amelia's hand. Her touch had brought him out dizzying cyclone of images he was remembering.

He nodded at her before he spoke again. "It was like a roomful of infinity mirrors; seeing myself through your eyes. Everything was there, the good, the bad and the mistakes. Or, maybe, like you were seeing into me; like Xray vision. Except, it was more; it was like you were seeing down to my DNA structure. No, that's not it. It was like you could see the individual atoms of each and every cell in my body. And then I could feel it, the faith Apsu mentioned. The absolute certainty you had, that I was the one worthy of you."

He looked down at her hand again, and then took it in his. "If I trust your ability to see the truth, and I do; then I had to trust were right about me, too." He looked up at her face, when she didn't say anything. "I know it's there. Do I have to say it aloud?"

"No, not now." She replied very quietly, hoping he wouldn't ask her what he really wanted to know.

"Then why? Why would we be brought together, to find each other; and this love we both feel so strongly it gives us enough faith in ourselves to free Dean from Purgatory; only to have it ripped apart when we do?" When she didn't answer, he asked again. "I thought this pure love couldn't be bought or sold? Why does it feel like we're going to have to pay this terrible price to free Dean?"

Amelia searched for how to answer him. She couldn't tell him he was wrong, when she felt the same way. "The price was not supposed to be yours to pay. You only needed to learn how to trust and love yourself, to perform the ritual. That we fell so deeply in love was not required by Ea, and the creators of the curse. That was a destiny and burden The One meant to put on me. He just didn't care if you got caught up in his little show of dominance." She stopped, fighting back tears and anger. She turned and saw the anger in his face, too.

"Sam, you can't confuse the two. You've found something, in yourself. You've learned you are worthy; that you can love yourself enough to love others. That is a precious thing. It makes you truly free; because once you get there, no one can ever take that away from you again."

She gave up fighting back the tears. She knew he'd never love like this again. But the thought of him living out his life alone, eventually losing the truth he had fought so hard to gain; and despising her memory as the cause of a lifetime of bitterness; well, there was no way she'd be the cause of that.

"Don't you realize that what this connection we have means to me, too? For the first time, since time began, I understand. If my love of you has helped you find yourself; your love has shown me the reason for, well, everything." As she had spoken, she had climbed from behind the steering wheel and was sitting on top of his legs, staring into his face. "But, you and your brother have shown me something else; you never give up, no matter what the odds or who you're fighting. The One has given me a day, after we get Dean back. We'll figure out something."

Mother Nature didn't know how she was going to do it, but she wasn't going to just leave this time. She had found something she had to hang on to, or die trying. For a split second she thought what that would mean for her vessel, Amelia Stone. Maybe she was no better than The One, for not caring about consequences and using others; but as she felt Sam wrap his arms around her and press the young woman's body tightly to his; she knew she'd never willingly leave this behind.

oooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooo ooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ooooooo

Author's Note: The last few chapters have been pretty angsty. My RL is pretty chaotic and it's found its way into the story.

It is time for Sam and Amelia get down to business and go save Dean!


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 53

The intensity of what they were feeling, while sitting together in the car, in their secluded spot, as dusk started to fall, was more than Sam or Amelia could express; either with words or through sex. They just sat there, wrapped in each other's arms. Sam opened his eyes and immediately closed them again because Amelia was glowing so brightly it was blinding. He gave them another minute and then started to loosen his hold on Amelia.

"Amelia? You're pretty bright there; and it's dark enough; someone is going to spot us."

"I know." She said as she started to pull away from Sam.

"Uh…why are you glowing?" He asked as he tried to open his eyes again; just in time to see the glow fade until just Amelia's eyes shone slightly.

"I'm just happy." She said wiping the moisture from her eyes.

"Uh huh." She may be a goddess, and he was only human, but Sam knew evasion when he heard it. "I don't mean to boast, but I thought I had made you pretty happy a few times the last couple of days; and I don't recall any light shows then."

Amelia sniffed as she climbed off his lap and sat back in the driver's seat. "I'm just _really_ happy?" She said as she gave him one of her basic, 'end-of-discussion' glares, before adding, "And if you ever want to make me _happy_ again….."

There was no way Amelia was going to tell him the real reason she had been glowing so intensely, at least not yet. For his part, Sam trusted her, and he figured all women kept their little secrets; and the reason for a goddess to start glowing all of a sudden might fall into that category. They stared at each other for a few seconds; then both realized the emptiness of her threat, and smiled at each other.

"I don't mean to brag again, but let me drive." Sam said as he started to open his door. "You're as slow as a grandma on a Sunday drive."

Amelia opened her mouth to argue, but just shrugged her shoulders and got out of the car. "I'm sure Shirley Muldowney would take offense to your remark." She said as she climbed into the passenger seat.

X

Sam left the beautiful little spot Amelia had found along near the Osage River and was back on the highway within minutes. They made it through Missouri's capital and were approaching Columbia and I-70 in less than an hour. Once they were headed west on the interstate, Sam had Amelia call Missouri to tell her they were running about an hour behind schedule.

As soon as Missouri answered the phone, Amelia could sense the psychic had been about to call them; and that she was not alone. "Missouri? What is it?"

"I should have known you'd call." Amelia put the call on speaker as Missouri was talking, so Sam could hear what she sensed was not going to be good news. "Where are you?" Missouri asked, obviously disturbed.

"We're just west of Columbia. Missouri, what's wrong?" Even Sam could hear the stress in her voice.

"You can't go to Bootback."

"What? Why not?" Sam asked. Sam didn't question Missouri's statement, he just wanted details.

Amelia knew there was a lot more the psychic needed to tell them; but all Missouri said was, "It's not safe. "

"Missouri, we knew there'd be.." Sam started to reply, when another voice interrupted him.

"Sam, we should _so_ not be talking on these phones. Get your ass to Missouri's, and I'll tell you everything." And the connection was broken.

Sam looked back and forth from the phone and road. "It can't be." He said, glancing at Amelia. "That sounded like Charlie."

"No, it was definitely a young woman." Amelia said; then she saw Sam's memories of the computer genius that had helped them against Dick Roman. "Oh. Yes, that's her."

"What the hell is she doing with Missouri?"

"We're too far away for me to get much, from either of them. I could only sense they were both absolutely sure we shouldn't go to the plant in Bootback."

They had been making decent time, staying just above the speed limit; trying to avoid the attention of state troopers now that they were on the interstate. Sam figured they were just under three hours from Lawrence. He couldn't risk getting pulled over; he needed to get to their friends, but getting stopped for speeding would only make it longer. 'Crap, I wish the SUV had a radar detector'.

He felt Amelia's hand on his arm. She smiled as she said, "I've got it." He pushed the Tahoe just a little faster.

X

With Amelia as his radar detector, a thought that cost him a small punch in the arm; Sam flew through both Kansas Cities and was approaching Lawrence in just over two hours. It was precisely One AM when he pulled into the psychic's driveway and parked the car behind her house. Before either Sam or Amelia had closed their doors, they looked up to the backdoor when they heard the sound of a shell being loaded into the firing chamber of a pump-action shotgun.

"Whoa!" Sam said as he held up both hands. "Charlie, it's us!"

The young woman didn't lower the gun; but, at least, eased her finger off the trigger. "Missouri thought it was you. Me personally, I never trust anyone without some borax in my hands." By the time she finished talking, Missouri had joined her on the porch.

"Girl! I told you it was them. And, I don't need some fancy shotgun shells to determine that." Missouri said while pushing Charlie's gun down and away from Sam and Amelia's direction.

An awkward silence hung in the air as new arrivals and Missouri stared at the red-head. Charlie shrugged her shoulders before breaking the silence. "Okay then." She looked at Amelia as she asked, "So, Sam, who's your friend?"

Sam glanced at Amelia before answering, and she gave him a quick nod. As Sam and Amelia finished getting out of the car and headed toward the house, he replied. "Charlie, I'd like you to meet Mother Nature. But, you can call her Amelia."

When Amelia reached where Charlie was standing, she put her hand out to greet the young woman. Charlie stared for a second, then shrugged her shoulders again, took Amelia's hand and said, "Okay then."

It turns out having a psychic and a goddess present when old friends meet was a major time saver; there was no need for borax, silver, salt or holy water tests. That thought got Sam dirty looks from both Amelia and Missouri, but he didn't care.

Sam wanted to learn why they couldn't go to Bootback; but he needed some context for Charlie's out-of-the-blue appearance at Missouri's. Amelia and Missouri wanted to move on to the current problems and both vouched for the eccentric hacker. Feeling suddenly outnumbered by women and left-out as the only one who didn't know what Charlie had been doing for the last year; he insisted on getting some information on her activities since he saw her last.

For her part, Charlie was dying to know more about the 'mysterious Amelia' she had been reading about for over a month. Both parties agreed to share their stories, and everybody came inside and sat down at the kitchen table.

X

Charlie went first. When she had 'disappeared' after helping Dean and Sam find the Leviathan tablet; she hadn't forgotten what she had learned about monsters being real. She had set up a in a new location and had used all her computer skills to track the activities of Richard Roman Enterprises. And after the explosion at the lab and Roman's 'disappearance' she had kept on; tracking the movements of the remaining Leviathans. She'd also tried to keep tabs on the Winchesters.

"I couldn't track anything on Dean; but I monitored all your internet searches and cell phone activity and figured something really bad had happened to Dean."

"You followed everything I was doing; without me even knowing? You can do that?"

"Focus here, Sam. Of course I can."

"Why didn't you let me know?"

"I didn't have anything that would help you. I figured I was safer staying out of sight, and just kept looking for something that might help." Sam couldn't really argue with her reasoning; but still felt a kind of betrayed. All those long days of endless searching would have been just a little easier if he'd known someone was trying to help.

"And then, I started following anything I could about Amelia. I knew it couldn't be a coincidence that she appeared the exact same time as the explosion." She stopped for a second and looked back and forth between Sam and Amelia. "Then I saw your paths had crossed. I knew you must be onto something. So, I kept tabs on the people you contacted; like Sheriff Mills, Cassie Robinson and Missouri."

Charlie had nodded at Missouri at the end of her explanation; the psychic took it as a signal to continue the story. "After you called yesterday, I made some inquiries about Bootback and the plant." Sam's eyebrows had shot up, questioning her definition of _inquiries_. "What? I have a client that used to work for the water department. You think I've managed to survive all these years by just being psychic?"

Sam held up his hands in mock surrender, to appease the woman. He didn't know if she was so cranky because it was so late or because of the stressful situation.

"And I am not being cranky." Missouri stated, sternly.

Sam had always thought of himself as a pretty quick learner, but wondered to himself why he just couldn't learn to control his thoughts around the psychic and the goddess. And, now, he had a world-class computer hacker following every electronic communication he made.

ooooooooooOOOOOooooooooooooo oooooo

A.N. Just saw the previews for 8-11; looks like I not the only one who wanted to see Charlie again.


	55. Chapter 55

Author's Note: Sorry for the considerable delay. It was a combination of massive writer's block and real life really sucking. Not sure which was the chicken and which was the egg. This one is short and not my best; but, I've already got the next chapter started, so I hope somebody is still interested in seeing how this ends.

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Chapter 54

"So, what's Plan B?" Charlie asked, after she and Missouri had related what they knew about Bootback.

All three women looked at Sam for an answer. They were all extraordinary in their abilities to gather information; but they all knew Sam was the one who knew how to use the information to formulate a plan. It had turned out they had a lot of information; and that Charlie had done a lot more than just follow his and Amelia's paths.

From her secure base, and she had actually called it her _Batcave_ at one point; she had located several other hunters through Garth. After Sam's call to Garth, the quirky little hunter had made arrangements to keep eyes on the areas Sam had given him, including the Bootback location. Garth had become a kind of clearing house for hunters, filling the void left by Bobby's death. And after Charlie had contacted him, she had been working with Garth to organize and disseminate all the information gathered by the few remaining hunters. And, Charlie had reached out to Jody and Missouri after they had returned to Lawrence; and they now had a solid law-enforcement connection to their network.

Sam had found all this vaguely interesting, but he really only wanted to know why they couldn't use the planned location, the Bootback plant, for trying to reach Dean.

It turned out the treatment plant hadn't been actively used by the county water department in the last several years, and that was why Crowley had been able to set up shop there without much notice. After all the damage was discovered, Crowley's torture chamber and the blood on the wall used to open Purgatory; the county had decided to refurbish the facility and convert it into a community building. That's where Missouri's client had been helpful.

According to Charlie's intel, two members of the clean-up crew had been Levis, and they were there trying to pry open the door to Purgatory to let the others back into this world. It also turned out; Crowley hadn't completely abandoned the site and had a couple of his demons keeping an eye on the place. When they got wind of what the Levis were trying to do, they took action. According to Missouri's client it looked like a cage wrestling match on PCP, before he got the hell out of there.

Charlie had assumed the demons won because there was nothing else coming from the Levis. But, after eliminating the Leviathan problem; Crowley had installed his own enhanced security. He had demons possessing at least one member of every shift at the site.

X

Sam wished, for at least the ten millionth time, that Dean was here. Making tactical battle plans was something that was better with two heads; making sure nothing was missed. Of course, in their line-of-work, there were always so many variables and unknowns; plans tended to be changed on an on-going basis. Or, as Dean had said on more than one occasion, 'making this up as we go'.

That was the other part of wishing Dean was here. With a nod of the head or a glance at a target, they knew what the other was going to do, or needed. While Amelia could read his mind to know what he was planning, it was a one-way communication. She was also pretty handy in fighting demons; but it would just be the two of them. There was no way he was risking Charlie or Missouri in a fight.

So, was there a Plan B? Sam still couldn't bring himself to consider going back to Carthage. The Devil's Gate in Wyoming and H P Lovecraft's place in Rhode Island were too far away. Omaha wasn't that far away, but they had already tried reaching Dean through that location; and had just avoided a confrontation with… It suddenly occurred to Sam, they didn't know who was in the SUVs that had been headed for the SucroCorp building that day. It could have been Levis, Demons, or private _human _security or the FBI.

If Bootback was so closely watched, maybe Omaha was a better option. It was only a three hour drive down the I-29 for Jody to come down and help. But, he needed more information. "Charlie, can you get me current intel on the SucroCorp lab site in Omaha?"

The hacker had been using her laptop to show him some of her information; and was already opening a new window, as she asked, "What do you want to know?"

X

It turned out the old SucroCorp lab would be an even worse option than the plant in Bootback. In the two weeks since Amelia and Sam had been there, the place had been leveled and reconstruction had already begun. The place was crawling with people. And, according to Charlie, the hunters watching the area had reported there were several demons in the area; laying low, like they were waiting for something, or someone. Everybody at the table had been in agreement; they were probably waiting for Sam to try and get to Dean.

Charlie could find no evidence that Leviathans were involved; but it was a safe assumption they hadn't given up and could be in the area.

As Sam was weighing the pros and cons of the two locations it occurred to him that Amelia had been very quiet through all the discussions. He assumed she had been reading his mind; and knew he felt both places were miserable choices. For a brief second he considered bagging the whole idea. After all, they only had to contact Dean to assure Castiel's rescue; Apsu had told them they could save Dean from anywhere. As quickly as the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it. The Winchester's took care of their own. And despite his earth-shattering mistakes, he owed it to the crazy little angel to get him out of Purgatory.

"Uh, Amelia, you have any thoughts on any of this?" Sam finally asked the quiet goddess.

Amelia had been listening intently; to both what the three humans were saying and what they_ weren't_ saying. Missouri and Charlie were both putting on brave faces but were scared. But both had also discovered an inner strength and courage they hadn't known they had. They were also both willing to do whatever Sam asked of them. She saw that Sam had sensed that, too. She also saw that he had no intention of letting them put themselves in so much danger. That he was never again letting his friends get killed during a Winchester fight, like Jo and Ellen had.

As far as the decision between SucroCorp building and the water-treatment plant, she knew her choice. "I think we stick to our original plan, and go to Bootback." She announced calmly. She didn't say it didn't really matter which location they used. She had been quiet for another reason; she had been busy taking inventory of the new sensations in this vessel. Well, not new; just long dormant powers she hadn't felt for a very long time.

She wasn't completely sure why these strengths were returning, but she didn't have time, right now, to worry about the why. Amelia would take time to consider the possible reasons after they contacted Dean through the weaken seal in Bootback. To the others, she just said, "I can use the water from the river to help us deal with whatever, or whoever, is there".

Her few words crystallized Sam's decision. Amelia was right; it had to be Bootback. Crowley may have placed a few demons to work at the treatment plant; but Amelia and Death had put the King of Hell out of commission over a week ago. The chain of command would surely be suffering by now. And, they at least knew what they'd be up against there, as opposed to the miasma of possibly both demons and Levis, not to mention all the humans working on the Omaha project.

It was now almost 4 AM, everybody was exhausted; and more importantly, dawn would be breaking before they could get to the area north of Leavenworth. Sam was already formulating a plan in his head; and, if it worked, it would work better in daylight. It would be basic subterfuge, and they wouldn't need anything but a couple new ID badges and uniforms. Missouri and Charlie had already proved they were as adept at creating and obtaining new identities as any seasoned hunter.

Sam gave the psychic and the hacker their assignments for in the morning; and everybody found a place to crash for a few hours. Amelia created another shielding spell for Charlie before climbing into bed next to Sam. She also knew none of her new human friends would be able to get any real sleep, so she cast a small spell to let them actually sleep for a couple of hours.

X

By 9AM everybody in the house was up and Missouri was setting breakfast out on the table. It was shortly after 10AM when Charlie and Missouri headed out to pick up coveralls and ID badges for Sam and Amelia. Jody arrived just before noon. Sam called Garth and he contacted the hunters watching the plant in Bootback. Missouri and Charlie returned with the best fake ID badges Sam had ever seen and coveralls 'borrowed' from the county water department, courtesy of the psychic's client.

It wasn't so much as a Plan B, as their first plan adapted to meet the needs of the situation. Sam smiled to himself thinking Dean would approve of the plan, he just hoped it worked so he could tell him and Cas about in a few days.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Slight spoiler ahead: Yet another weird conincidence; I had Charlie having a Batcave before the boys found the bunker. (That's how long I've been struggling with this chapter.) I thought about having Charlie call her lair something else, but nothing else quite conveys the image of _the Batcave_.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 55

A surprise foray into Bootback was not going to be possible, with demons in the area and in the plant. Sam and Amelia headed out just before One PM in the County water department vehicle and uniforms that Missouri had convinced her client to loan to the effort. Jody had left a few minutes earlier to meet up with the hunters in the area. Amelia sensed the worry in everybody's minds. She had already decided she'd only use all her newly-returned powers as a last resort. Sam's plan had a decent chance to work just as they hoped. If she could not expose herself, it would avoid creating a scene that would draw the unwanted attention of both human law-enforcement and their supernatural enemies. Not having to give a long explanation of her new abilities to Sam and their comrades would just be icing on the cake.

Being a Sunday afternoon, there was only a very small security crew on-site. It was just after 3PM when Amelia pulled up to the gate outside the plant. The hunters watching the plant had told them only the guard at the gate was a demon. Every demon on the planet knew Sam's face, so Amelia was to create distraction to allow him to come up behind and kill the demon before he could let any others know they were there.

The cover story was to be that Amelia was a safety inspector showing up for a surprise survey. From his nearby position, Sam could hear Amelia trying to explain her presence to the guard-demon. He lost sight of the gate for a second as he ducked around small shed right next to the gate, but then he could hear the rattling of the gate being opened. 'Huh, that was way too easy.' Sam thought to himself just as there was a sudden flash of light.

"Sam?" Amelia called softly. "Come help me put the body in the backseat."

He was already out from behind the shed and standing over what was left of the demon before Amelia had finished speaking. "What happened?"

"He had just hit the gate mechanism when he turned toward the shed. I could tell the body he was possessing was already dead, so I killed the demon before he could sound the alarm." Amelia replied as she opened the back door. They put the cold, lifeless body on the floor of the backseat; and then Amelia climbed back into the car and drove through the gate, as Sam closed the gate behind them.

"How close to where Castiel opened the seal do we have to be?" Sam asked as he climbed back into the passenger seat and Amelia pulled further into plant grounds. With all the clean-up and construction vehicles and equipment in the area, it looked very different than when Sam was here last. Of course, he had to admit to himself, he wasn't thinking very clearly then.

"I've been thinking about that. Do you think you could get us near that wall, but on the outside?" Amelia really didn't want Sam to have to go inside that horrible place again. That, and residual smell of Leviathans, Demons, all the creatures Crowley had tortured and even all the Angels that were killed here, was so bad out here, she didn't think she could stand how bad it must be inside.

"Huh, the outer wall of the lab?" Sam said, as he started studying the main building closer. "I remember there was only one set of windows, high up, near the ceiling. The wall was to the right of that. Crap, there are way too many windows."

As Sam spoke, he noticed another of the weekend security crew causally strolling near the reservoir. "Damn, I think he saw us." He said to Amelia and pointed in the guard's direction.

"So, we stick to your plan. Only we tell him we're inspecting the structural integrity of the wall outside where there was the most damage." Amelia said, sounding very professional but with a devious grin on her face.

"If that guy wasn't so damn close that he'd see, I'd kiss you." Sam replied, admiring how easily Amelia was catching onto 'making it up as we go'.

"I'm assuming that would not be your usual behavior in the middle of a hunt?" Amelia asked with a wicked grin on her face, before adding, "You know; I could arrange for him to trip over something and give us a few seconds?" She smiled at his befuddled expression, as she stopped the car.

"I'll take a rain check." Sam said as he opened his door, and then headed for the obviously bored security guard. "You there! Who's in charge here? And why was no one at the gate?" Sam shouted at the hapless man. One of the basic rules of bullshitting your way into anywhere was to take the offensive and throw the target off guard.

Amelia watched as Sam met the guard. She could overhear bits and pieces of what he was saying; and the man looked thoroughly anxious and worried he would lose his job. Within two minutes the last guard joined his co-worker after being summoned on the walkie-talkie. As Sam started walking the men toward the trailer that was the main construction office, Amelia got out of the car and started scanning the building for the spot they would use. The evil permeating this place was so pronounced, she knew she'd have to get closer to find the weakened seal.

A few minutes later, Sam came back out the trailer, alone, and carrying a blueprint. He didn't bother to 'tell' Amelia what had happened in the trailer, knowing she had already seen it in his thoughts. With the three guards, one demon dead and two human unconscious, out of the way; Sam spread the drawing of the plant out on the hood of the car. He called Jody to confirm that she and the other hunters had managed to secure any other demons, and anybody else, in the area, giving them free access to the building and plenty of time to breach the seal and contact Dean.

After Jody gave them the 'all clear', and they climbed back into the car and drove closer to the old building. Sam used the diagram to determine which room had been Crowley's lab with the wall that had been used to paint the sigil that had opened the door to Purgatory. He may have been pre-law at Stanford, but years of reading plans while casing locations for hunts, had made him very adept at reading blueprints. They got out of the vehicle when they got as close as they could by car. Amelia confirmed Sam had found the right spot after he had led them around to the wall.

The construction hadn't started in this area and Amelia cringed at the disparity on the location. It was a beautiful grassy area next to a gently-flowing river, with an old limestone wall, naturally darkened by years of exposure to the elements. But, there was also this oppressive sensation of evil, death and destruction.

As they approached the wall, it suddenly occurred to Sam, in all their discussions they hadn't talked about what _exactly _Amelia was going to do. She turned and smiled at him; her expression so obvious, he could've sworn he heard her voice in his head say 'We've got this covered'. Amelia turned back to the wall quickly before he saw the surprise on her face. She hadn't meant to telepathically implant that thought in Sam's mind. Reading minds was a power she had never lost; but she had lost telepathy centuries ago. She added that to the list of things she'd have to think about, later.

X

Amelia took off the water department coveralls and her shoes, leaving only the simple dress she had been wearing when she met Sam at Bobby's old place. She stepped to where Sam was standing and pulled his face down to hers and kissed him until he couldn't help but respond. As she released him, she could hear the questions in his mind. "To give me strength; you're more powerful to me now than the amulet." She said with a smile; then Amelia turned and walked back until she stood near the wall but faced the river.

Sam watched as Amelia closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. When she opened her eyes, they were glowing and rapidly gaining in brightness. Suddenly her voice was inside his head again, telling him to stand behind her. He paused only a second, knowing there was no mistaking who or what he was hearing this time; before he moved to get behind the goddess. Just as he got behind Amelia, she raised her arms and started singing in that unknown language she had used in Omaha.

Just as in Omaha, the air over the river started moving and started forming into a vortex; pulling up a column of water this time. Amelia slowly brought her outstretched hands together, and the column of water got tighter and sped faster and faster. As the swirling water got smaller and faster, it climbed up into the sky until it had to be visible over the tree line. Sam hoped their allies had adequately secured the area because this would be hard to explain; not that he would have stopped Amelia for anything.

'Sam, be ready.' Her voice reached into his mind again. He looked down at the small woman just as she clasped her hands together and the column of water, now only a few inches around, jumped from the river into Mother Nature's fists. She turned slightly, let go of the column with one hand, and pointed to the base of the wall. The shaft of water followed to where she was pointing. When it reached the spot they had determined was just opposite of where the seal had been opened; Amelia starting reciting what sounded like the same chant as two weeks ago. As she grasped the column with both hands it started snapping and crackling with electricity, radiating brightly and sending off sparks.

Even from behind Amelia, Sam could feel the power radiating from the shaft of water and light; but she was holding it like it was as light and easy as a kite string. He looked to where the end of the column was grinding against the wall. There were no blades of grass or pieces of stone or mortar flying up from the spot; but there was a rapidly increasing void of matter. That was the only way Sam could think to describe it; it was like Amelia's _tool_ was digging away at the reality of that spot. He guessed she was; since she was opening a hole into another plain of existence.

Suddenly a ray of intensely bright light shot out of the base of the 'hole'. Without turning away, Amelia shouted, "Sam, put your hands over mine." Sam took the half step forward and wrapped his large hands over Amelia's small ones.

Sam had felt incredible supernatural power in his hands before, in those dark days before he had released and then when possessed by Lucifer; that was nothing compared to what he could feel flowing through Amelia's hands. There was no heat, or pain; just pure, raw power. It was like she was tapping into the earth's magnetic core; which he guessed might actually be what she was doing.

'Focus here, Sam.' Came her voice in his head. Even telepathically he could hear the snark in the comment. 'Call for Dean. I sense we're close, find him.'

He shut his eyes and concentrated as hard as could on his brother. 'DEEEEAAAAN! Dean, can you hear me? Dean, I'm going to get you out. Deeeeeeeaaaaaan. DEAN WINCHESTER, if you don't answer me….., I'll put the Impala up on blocks and turn it into a flower bed!'

'Sam, fuck, you do that and I'll haunt you the rest of your friggin' life!' Dean's distinctive voice faintly reached Sam's mind.

'Oh my God, Dean? You know I'd never do that, but I had to get your attention somehow.' Sam replied; letting out the breath he hadn't known he was holding.

'How are you doing this? If you've made another deal….' Dean's voice came back clearer but tinged with anger.

"NO! We promised. I'll tell you after we get you back. I don't have much time.' Sam paused; then remembered the whole point of this effort. 'Is Cas with you?'

'CAS!' Dean shouted across the barrier at his brother. 'You're breaking into Purgatory to ask me about CAS! Wait, did you say we?'

'Dean, focus!' This was taking way too long, somebody had to have seen the column by now. 'I'm going to get you out; and Cas too. But you have to be touching him, to bring him out with you.'

'How are you going to get us out of here?' Dean paused; then asked. 'Touching? What does that mean?'

'DEAN! Just make sure Cas is with you in four days, in the early morning; two hours before sunrise on the 12th.' Sam screamed as he felt Amelia's hands start to shake.

'The twelfth! Here, let me check with my social secretary. Jesus Sam, you think I've got a calendar down here?' Dean griped at his brother.

'Just before sunrise, in four days, Dean. Make sure Cas is next to you.' Sam paused, frantically thinking what else he should say. 'I'm coming to get you, jer…' Was all he got out before the shaft of water blew apart, sending both he and Amelia sprawling across the grass.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 56

His head was pounding and he just couldn't seem to force his eyes open. 'Great, what did Dean get me into this time?' Sam thought to himself. Then he remembered he had only been _talking_ to Dean; that his brother was still in Purgatory. He shot up out the surprisingly comfortable position he was lying in, and started scanning what turned out to be the dimly lit bedroom of Missouri's house.

Last thing he remembered was talking to Dean, well, not talking so much as …telepathy? Then he remembered Amelia had communicated with him telepathically, several times in fact. He looked around the room; it appeared she must have been there at some point. There was a pile of both of their wet clothes in the corner. As dark as it was, it must be several hours since the column of water had exploded and sent them flying.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, and actually managed to stand up on the second attempt. He headed toward the voices coming from somewhere else in the house; and was still feeling the knot on the back of his head as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Oh, sleeping beauty finally decided to join us?" Missouri called, and everyone at the table turned to look at him. The sight of pretty much, everybody he knew, turning to look at him, took him by surprise. It was Missouri's house, so he had expected her, Charlie, and Amelia to be there. But, Jodie, Garth and two people who looked vaguely familiar and were obviously hunters; were also sitting at the table or leaning against the counters.

"SAM." Came a chorus of voices.

"Uh, Amelia, are you okay?" Sam asked, as she was getting up from the table and coming toward him.

"I'm fine. How's your head?" And as she asked, she reached up and put her hand on the back of his head. The headache he had woken up with disappeared.

"Yeah, I'm good." Sam replied; then looked at the other hunters. "Uh, anything I should know about Bootback?"

The other hunters looked to Garth, and he nodded in acknowledgement. "We're good. Sam, this is Manny and Danny, a brother team, like you and Dean. We took out four demons before you two even got there. We found a few civilians in the area and Sheriff Mills here sent them packing with a story of chlorine leak from the plant." Garth paused while Sam shook hands with the hunters and Jodie gave him a big hug.

"That was quite a show your girlfriend put on." Said Manny, or maybe Danny, Sam wasn't sure which was which.

Sam was already wary of the strangers, but immediately went into protective mode. "We going to have a problem?" He asked, knowing some hunters considered anything 'supernatural' fair game.

"Are you kidding? She's great. We were trying to convince her to dump your sorry ass and work with us!" The other brother said.

"Listen, Sam, we know you and your brother have had…, let's call then disagreements, with other hunters." The first brother spoke up again. "But, if Garth says you're good folks; that's good enough for us." And with that, they nodded at Garth, and Amelia, and headed for the door. "Call us if you need us on the twelfth." And they were out the door before Sam could thank them.

As soon as they were out of the house, Sam turned to Garth. "You told them? Wait a minute, how do you know about the twelfth?" Sam asked.

Charlie and Jodie spoke at the same time. "I told him." The two women looked at each other, surprised. Jodie pointed to the hacker, indicating she should go first.

"I may have mentioned you guys needed his help while we working on setting up our hunter's network." Charlie supplied, somewhat sheepishly.

"And I filled in the details while we were clearing the area around Bootback." Jodie added, not at all sheepishly.

Sam was stunned speechless, for a few seconds. And then he was furious. "Are you all crazy!?" He asked raising his voice to make sure they knew how serious he was. "This isn't some…, some book club you're organizing here. You all could get hurt; or killed!"

Amelia, still standing next to Sam, put her hand on his arm; as the women stared at him; their turn to be stunned. "Sam." Amelia's soft voice breaking the silence. "They know that." She paused until he looked at her. "They know this isn't a game; and that they're risking a lot. They also know; that you and Dean are worth it."

He just stared at the five of them. Having friends willing to risk everything to help them had not worked out well in the past for the Winchesters; or at least not for those friends. Sam studied their faces; there wasn't a shadow of doubt on any of them. "Okay. But if any of you get hurt, Dean will kick my ass when we he gets back!"

Everybody relaxed, and they started talking again. Except, he noticed, Amelia. 'And ,what was that on Amelia's face? She's not telling them, or me, something?' Sam thought to himself.

'Not here. Missouri will hear you.' Amelia's voice reached into his thoughts. Sam should have known, his thoughts were never going to be _to himself_, with a goddess and a psychic in the same room. He turned and looked down at her face and she nodded toward the door.

"Will you excuse us?" Amelia asked the group, as she took Sam's arm and started out of the kitchen. Just before she rounded the wide door out of the room, she glanced back at Missouri. She was watching them leave with an expression that showed she had heard Sam's thoughts, too.

X

"Are we going to use our mouths, or should I just let you use my head to hold this conversation?" Sam asked Amelia as soon as they reached the bench in the back yard.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know I had regained the telepathy until we were at the plant. We were kind of busy; it didn't seem like the time to talk about it." She replied evenly. Amelia knew Sam was going to be upset and she let him vent his anger.

Her quick apology threw him for a loop; and completely deflated his anger. He and Dean argued about almost everything; sometimes, just for the sake of arguing. He smiled, remembering the many arguments they had had just as a form of amusement. Amelia saw she was forgiven but knew enough to keep the penitent expression on her face.

"Really?" Sam asked in mock frustration, after hearing her thought. "Looks I'm not the only one who needs to learn to control their thoughts."

After a few seconds of being shocked that she had projected that thought to Sam without meaning to, Amelia responded to him. "I guess so. Sam, it's been centuries since I had the power of telepathy. It took me by surprise. And yes, it apparently isn't like riding a bicycle." She paused, as something else occurred to her. Concentrating, trying to not project any thoughts, 'Or, maybe you will be able to hear my thoughts, when they are about you, because you are the reason my powers are returning.'

Sam watched her as she was obviously thinking, hard, about something. "Stop whatever you're doing. You look like you're about to have a stroke." He teased her.

Amelia relaxed and leaned into him for an embrace. She hated keeping things from him, but it was not the time to let Sam know the true reason her powers were returning. She had to hide that from him, and apparently Missouri, for four more days.

X

After he had noted that the water vortex had seemed much stronger than the one in Omaha, Sam and Amelia stayed in the back yard, discussing some of her other returning powers. When his stomach rumbled, they noticed it was now completely dark; and remembered Sam hadn't eaten since noon.

When they got into the house, they found Garth had snuck out the front door several minutes ago. Missouri had sent Charlie and Jodie to sleep in her bed; stating she had slept on her sofa before. She was sitting at the kitchen table, with a sandwich and a beer waiting for Sam. "Amelia, help me get the extra bedding out of your room while Sam is eating." It was a thin excuse; and it was clear the psychic wanted to talk to the goddess, alone.

"Are you going to tell him why your powers are returning?" Missouri said as soon as she closed the door behind them.

"Of course I am." Amelia replied, as she turned back toward the door and the psychic. "Just, not until after we get his brother out of Purgatory."

"I thought you had to leave as soon as Dean was rescued?" Missouri asked skeptically.

"I've been given a day, before I'll be called back." She choked out, fighting back tears.

Missouri wrapped the ancient goddess in her arms and let her quietly cry. She was still amazed that is was so easy to read the thoughts and emotions of such a powerful being. Maybe, that was the key; apparently it had been a very long time since Mother Nature had had such a profound emotional connection to a human. Missouri smiled, as she patted the young woman's back; Sam Winchester seemed to have profound effects on some people, and apparently some goddesses.

X

Sam had waited in the kitchen until Missouri came out with a blanket; the 'extra bedding' that had been so important she needed Amelia's help to collect. She told him it was late, she was tired and to 'go to bed'.

"Amelia, is everything okay?" He asked quietly, as he sat on the edge of the bed and kicked off his shoes.

She was curled up on her side, facing the other way; she didn't turn to face him as she answered. "Yes. I'm just tired."

He stood up again to undress. "Listen, I know there's something you're not telling me. And, apparently Missouri knows it too." He paused, as he slid under the sheets and curled up behind her, wrapping her tightly in his arms. "I trust you, and know you'll tell me when you can. All I'm going to say, is, as someone who has kept his fair share of secrets; just don't wait too long."

Sam kissed her cheek and could taste the salty residue of her tears. She turned around; put her head against his chest. "I won't." Then she tipped her head and kissed her way up from his chest, to his neck, until she found his lips. He could feel her need, and was pretty sure it wasn't completely about him. She was hurting and needed something to make her forget the pain. Sam had every intention of making her forget whatever was making her so sad, if it took him all night.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 57

Garth was back first thing in the morning, carrying a huge bag of donuts. "A Hunter's breakfast, for everyone." He declared as he put the bag down on the kitchen table. The three women already sitting at the table stared at him like he was crazy. Charlie even said, "Are you crazy? Do you know how bad those things are for you?" Garth shrugged his shoulders and took another bite of the glazed one he was eating as he had come through the door. Jodie and Charlie smiled at each other and then ripped open the bag and grabbed their favorites. After the younger women had chosen and were savoring the still warm treats, Missouri calmly picked up a jelly-filled one and hummed as she took her first bite.

As Sam came through the door, he exclaimed, "I thought I smelled donuts. And Coffee!" He added, as he headed to the coffee-maker on the counter.

The women sat quietly, exchanging glances and smiling. Missouri's house may be fairly large but the walls weren't sound-proofed and some sounds just can't be mistaken in a quiet house in the middle-of-the-night.

"Jesus, Sam. You look like hammered crap." Garth said, not being aware of Sam's late night activities. After Sam turned back to the table with his filled coffee mug, the skinny hunter added. "Didn't you get any sleep at all?"

An embarrassed silence fell over the room. Just then, Amelia joined them in the kitchen, looking remarkably as exhausted as Sam. Garth looked from Amelia to Sam to the ladies at the table. "Oh." He said, blushing slightly.

"We got a couple hours this morning, thank you for asking, Garth." Amelia said as she kissed him on the cheek and headed for the donuts. "We're sorry if we kept anybody else awake last night."

Another awkward silence fell over the room, until Jodie announced, "I call first shower." And jumped up from the table and headed for the bathroom.

X

By noon, everybody had cleaned up and dressed. Jodie had left first, after they had all discussed the plans for the next few days, because she had a seven hour drive back to Sioux Falls. She left, saying she would be back in three days. Charlie and Garth both headed out, also saying they'd return a day before the ritual to help make sure everything was ready.

Sam briefly thought about getting the Impala out of storage, to make the run to Madison and back. Dean would want _his baby_ once he got back. But it was 10 hours to go pick up the stored donations, and another long day back. They needed to make good time, and stay under both law-enforcement and supernatural radars. He actually found himself smiling as he put the last of their gear in the car. Sam would never admit it to his brother, but the fuel-efficient SUV was both comfortable and practical.

Amelia accepted the small cooler of food that Missouri had packed, and headed to the car. Sam called to her to 'not to put it next to the other cooler with Cassie and Evan's fluids'. The goddess surprised both Sam and Missouri by demonstrating her knowledge of current, cultural mannerisms; and flipped Sam off, as she walked around the corner of the house to the car.

Missouri and Sam just stood for a second; then Sam pulled the psychic in for a hug. "Don't worry. Whatever it is, it will wait until she's ready to tell me." With that, he released the older woman and jogged around the corner and out of sight.

"I know; I just hope you'll be ready to hear it." And Missouri went back inside to clean up after having four extra people stay in her house; and to get ready for them all to be back in three days.

X

"You never said what you thought about Dean, after we were able to contact him." Sam said after they had made it through Kansas City and were heading north on the I-35. "And it just dawned on me; I never thanked you for yesterday."

"Actually, I kind of think you did; for quite a while last night." Amelia replied, and Sam turned just in time to see a smirk that looked like it had been transplanted from his brother's face.

Sam smiled before replying, "Well, in that case; you're welcome." He reached across and took her hand and kissed it gently. "You also didn't answer my question. Dean, any thoughts?"

"How did he sound to you, you're the one who knows him." Amelia responded, 'sounding kind of like a shrink' Sam thought.

"What's a shrink?" She asked with a perplexed expression on her face.

X

They talked about Amelia's impressions of Dean; frequently laughing as Sam regaled her with stories of their prank wars. They talked about what Dean had said about not having a calendar; and wondered how time passed in Purgatory; did it have days and nights, and whether Dean would be able to know when sunrise was approaching? They talked about breaching the seal in Bootback; did they take too long, and did anyone or anything else hear the conversation?

They made observations on the beautiful countryside; the performance of the SUV, and Sam shared the history and importance of the Impala; anything to avoid talking about the next few days and/or what Amelia was holding in.

Five hours later they were approaching Ames, Iowa and decided to stop, stretch their legs and eat the meal Missouri had sent with them. It was beautiful late afternoon, and Sam got far enough off the interstate that they couldn't hear the drone of the tires on the pavement. After talking for so long, they sat in silence, eating the leftovers their friend had given them.

"For the first time, since Dean was sucked into Purgatory, I feel good, you know, hopeful." Sam finally broke the silence.

Amelia didn't reply; instead she jumped up, ran to the nearest tree and rapped on it three times. Sam had quickly gotten up and followed her. "Amelia, what the hell! Are you okay?"

As he was talking, Amelia had turned around three times, counter clock-wise, and then stopped and spit on the ground three times. Sam was standing there, thinking she had either lost her mind, or was possessed. Just as suddenly she stopped her bizarre behaviors and started laughing. "Just breaking the jinx." She gasped out while trying to regain her breath. "Gotcha!" She said as she poked him in the chest and ran back toward the blanket they had spread out to eat.

Despite her head start, Sam's long legs allowed him to catch up to her as she reached the edge of the blanket. Just as he was about to wrap her in his long arms she stopped and turned to face him. Unable to stop his forward momentum, Sam pulled Amelia protectively against him as they fell to the soft grass and rolled a couple of times. When they stopped she was laying on top of him, grinning like an idiot.

"Are you insane?" Sam asked, his adrenaline still pumping after thinking Amelia was in trouble; but also, not releasing her, as a different set of hormones started to affect him.

Amelia's grin turned to a wistful smile as she lowered her head and kissed him. "Actually, I think I was channeling your brother; remembering your prank stories."

Sam smiled at the mention of his brother and their pranks and rough-housing; but remembering his brother completely extinguished the fire that had been starting. He let go of Amelia and rolled her off him; and they lay there catching their breaths.

"You know, it will be almost midnight by the time we get to Madison." Sam paused, as he rolled on his side, facing her, and propped his head on his hand. "I know the storage place we picked has 24 hour access; but, I'm thinking we get a room, and some sleep, and pickup the fluids first thing in the morning; then start the drive back fresh."

"Uh huh." She replied, with a distracted, far-away look on her face. Images of their previous love-making started flowing into his head.

Sam didn't know if Amelia was deliberately trying to get him succumb to their arousal, or if her desire was causing her to broadcast the images without intending to. Either way, they had to get back on the road; and that if he lay there much longer, he wouldn't be able to resist her. He snapped his fingers in her face a couple of times, as he called her name. "Amelia! Focus here." He got up off the blanket and held his hand down to help her up.

She looked up at him with a slightly dazed and disappointed look, but she took his hand. They packed up their gear and headed back to the car. They loaded the car and headed back to the interstate without saying a word to each other; both preoccupied with their own thoughts.

"That wasn't fair." Sam said after they were flowing along with the traffic again. He wasn't angry, not really. But, there had to be some boundaries. Amelia had his heart and soul; she had to let him keep a little bit of his mind to himself.

She didn't answer him for a couple of seconds, but then said. "I know. I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. I seem to be having a hard time controlling some of my returning powers." She paused, and Sam was sure he heard fear in her voice.

"It's not so much fear, as worry." And she smiled and shrugged her shoulders, as an apology for reading his thought. "But, it's your fault, you know."

"What!" Sam replied, surprised.

"The thing I've been not telling you, the deep, dark secret; I was going to try to stay. You, because of the way you make me feel, for the first time ever, you have given me a strength, a belief in myself, a courage…. " She paused remembering The One had called it faith. "I was going to fight, do whatever it took to not go back."

Sam gripped the steering wheel tightly, stunned and glad there wasn't much traffic, as he turned and stared at Amelia. "You can do that?"

"I don't know; but I was going to try." She replied quietly.

"Was?" Sam asked, confused. "I don't understand."

Amelia smiled sadly. "I saw myself staying, with you; and a long and happy future together."

"Yeah. Sounds good to me." Sam smiled.

He turned to look at her when she didn't say anything. She turned to look at him; and the only thing he could think of was a line from _The Princess Bride_. The movie had described Wesley's cry as 'the sound of ultimate suffering'; now he knew what that looked like. It was on his lover's face.

X

Sam pulled back off the interstate at the first exit he saw. He had spent most of life multi-tasking while driving; but this, whatever 'this' was, needed his undivided attention. He stopped the car on the shoulder of the ramp and turned off the ignition. And waited, waited until Amelia could find the words to express the pain he saw on her face.

"Sam, I can't stay in this body. It wouldn't be fair to her." She finally said very quietly. She turned and saw the confused expression on his face. "To Amelia, the real Amelia; the vessel."

Mother Nature may be in Amelia's body by invitation and the young woman may have given her permission to use it anyway she desired; but it had always been meant as a loan. Sam's memories of the two times his body had been used as a vessel, by Meg and Lucifer, flooded his thoughts. Even though he had given Lucifer permission, it had been as a means to an end, aborting the apocalypse. The violation he had felt when the demon and the fallen angel had used him to do unfathomably evil things still pained him deeply. He knew she would never allow her vessel to feel that kind of violation.

As much as he wanted to argue, to convince ….'Amelia', oh hell, even now he couldn't think of her as _Mother Nature_. The last few days and nights of lovingly whispering that name as they lay wrapped in each other's arms….; she would always be his _Amelia_. He was suddenly so confused, not knowing what to call her. But, if he was confused as to what name to call her; he wasn't at all confused about how this would turn out. It was one of the first things she had told him; that she was here in a loaned body, and that the expiration date on that loan was signed and sealed.

Sam looked at the face that meant so much to him now, and understood the pain he had seen there. The goddess within, his Amelia, wanted to stay with him, and she seemed to think it might be possible; but she had made a commitment, a sacred promise, to the acolyte, the real Amelia. He may not know everything about the being in front of him; but, he knew she would never betray the owner of the body she was currently occupying.

"You're wrong." Amelia finally spoke again. "The despair you saw is not for me. It's for what I've done to you. I stupidly got caught up in the emotions you woke in me, and I let us forget there was no future for us. I let you think our happy ending was anything more than saving your brother."

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Oops, sorry for another delay. I've now discovered the symptoms of a nasty cold include the inability to put words together in an intelligent fashion.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 58

There had been nothing more to say; they both knew there was no amount, or combination of words that would change her mind. And, Sam realized, as he pulled back onto the interstate, he really had no argument to make. Integrity and personal sacrifice had been part of all the important decisions he had ever made. Was he going to ask her to abandon her core beliefs, to stay and make him happy?

Amelia rode along just as silent, the tension palpable between them. She stayed out of his thoughts, both to let him process what she had said and to make sure she didn't accidently reveal the last piece of their destiny. She knew she would, but didn't know how to tell him the rest, and hoped it would wait until after they got Dean back. Amelia hadn't really wanted to remind him they had no future, but couldn't let him live in the impossible illusion they had created.

It was close to an hour before Sam finally broke the silence. "I'm not sure I can call you anything but Amelia." He smiled weakly at her.

"I like the name. I'd like it if we could continue to use it." Amelia paused, and Sam glanced at her, just as tear slid down her cheek. "Sam, I'm so sorry. I don't.." Was all she got out before Sam interrupted.

"Stop." He looked back at her again, and she could see the moisture in his eyes. "There's no one to blame here. Like you said, all you did was remind me of something I already knew." He removed one of his hands from the steering wheel and wiped his eyes. Then, he smiled, with only a trace of sadness. "If I've learned anything as a hunter, it's that life is uncertain, and probably short. And, to appreciate the good things you're given." He turned back to face her. "You, by any name, and for however long we have, are one of my good things."

Sam smiled, truly and deeply at her reaction to his words, and was glad for the long summer days as he turned back to watch the road. The brightness of the setting sun helped mask the glow emanating from the goddess in the passenger seat of the SUV, as they continued to cruise east through the Iowa evening.

X

The rest of the trip was uneventful, if a little bittersweet; but they found a comfortable familiarity with each other. They reached the outskirts of Madison at midnight, just as Sam had predicted. They checked into the first decent motel they could find near the storage facility. Amelia had stayed out of Sam's thoughts during the drive. She was pleasantly surprised, and very grateful, that the room Sam had gotten only had one bed. She had been afraid Sam would start distancing himself from her.

After they unloaded the gear out of the car, they ate the last of the food Missouri had sent. Sam told her to take the first shower, while he secured the room. He added a 'don't use all the hot water', a habit he had developed after a lifetime of living with a brother who loved long, hot showers. Amelia just gave him a puzzled look as she stepped through the door. Sam couldn't believe he was missing Amelia reading his thoughts.

Amelia emerged after only a few minutes, the clean, wildflower smell he had come to associate with her wafting out of the bathroom behind her. "I put a little spell on the plumbing; you'll have as much hot water as you want." Sam felt bad as he headed to the bathroom. She hadn't realized he was joking. He was going to stop and explain, when he noticed her grin in the mirror.

It had been a long and stressful day, and Amelia hadn't been kidding about the hot water. Sam finally emerged from the bathroom after more than a half hour. He had taken advantage of the relaxing warmth and used the spray to wash away more than just the 10 hours of driving. All of his fingers were pruned, but it was worth it because he left all the earlier pain and fear running down the drain.

He stood and watched Amelia from the doorway. She appeared to be asleep already; her breathing was smooth and regular. Sam turned off the bathroom light and made his way around to the other side of the bed. As he lifted the sheet to climb into the bed, she opened her eyes. Amelia watched him as he settled into his side of the bed.

Sam knew she was waiting for permission; that she would not initiate the intimate contact that had become their normal sleeping position. Would avoiding the comfort and peace he felt with her wrapped in his arms make it easier to let her go in a few days? He lifted the sheet with one arm and held the other out toward her, inviting her to lie next to him. Amelia quickly moved over into his waiting arms. She had let him keep his thoughts to himself, and been afraid their happy little bubble had been burst. At the end of the day, neither had needed words to express their true feelings.

X

Yesterday, Sam had been glad of the long summer days; this morning he groaned as the early morning light flooded the room as Amelia opened the curtains. "What time is it?" He glanced at the alarm clock, and groaned again. "It's only 6:30, why are you up so early?"

"I don't know, I just couldn't sleep anymore." It was a small, white lie. She only had two days left before she would leave this planet, and this man; she didn't want to waste it sleeping. She plopped down on the side of the bed, and bounced a couple of times. "Come on, get dressed; I'm hungry." He quickly reached up and tried to grab her, but she easily evaded his attempt to pull her back into bed. She pulled the covers off the bed as she moved out of his reach.

As he rolled out of bed, grumbling about childish behaviors, Sam once again thought how much Dean would like this woman. He got up and headed to the bathroom. By the time he came out to dress, Amelia had opened the door and was standing in the sunlight. She had her arms wrapped around torso and her eyes closed, humming and slightly swaying. Sam couldn't tell if it was the bright morning light, or she was glowing again. Either way, there was no mistaking he was looking at beautiful and powerful goddess; even if she was in the body of a short girl with funny red hair.

"Hey, Mother Nature. You want to close the door so I can get dressed, and no one else sees you glowing like a flood light." Amelia smiled, enjoying the teasing banter from Sam; it meant all the tension from yesterday was gone. But, as she stepped inside, she also knew she had to do a better job at keeping her growing inner power from manifesting itself.

It would be harder to control her body from displaying its power, now that the fertilized ova she had felt for two days had reached the critical eight cell stage, activating its own genetic destiny. Mother Nature had known her vessel would conceive; she had seen it as part of Sam's future.

She hadn't lied to Sam; her powers had started returning because of his love for her. But, she also remembered the last time one of her vessels was pregnant. That had been with Apsu, another god; and she had reached her pinnacle of power while carrying their children. Sam was just a human. Well, Sam Winchester was far more than just a human. He had both started and stopped the Apocalypse; and been the vessel of Lucifer, but had had enough strength of will to control him. He had been in heaven and hell and survived it all only to be stronger.

Yes, she would have to work very hard to conceal the power this child would generate within her.

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A.N. I again wanted to thank everyone who has followed/favorited and reviewed my story. It was supposed to be a quick little project, to try my hand at writing and keep me from going crazy waiting for Season 8 to start. It took on a life of its own. (Not a pun for the last line of the chapter.) I took a lot of detours to get here, but this was actually in my original outline for the story. I'd like to tell you there are only a few chapters left; but I've discovered I kind of like the detours. But, the end is in sight. I'm just hoping to get it finished before the Season 8 finale!


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 59

By 10 AM they had collected the cooler and were back on the road heading south, back to Lawrence. The storage facility had been pretty deserted that early in the morning, and they had used the isolation and quiet to check that the stored fluids were still protected; and transfer the last two Thermos bottles into the larger cooler.

"Well, that just leaves mine." Sam said as he loaded the precious container in the back of the SUV. "Any idea when and where we're supposed to collect it?"

"No, not exactly." She stopped as she was about to open her car door, "But, I know it will happen."

"What, what will happen?" Sam asked as he through his open door.

She smiled warmly at him as they climbed into the car. "I don't know where it is, but I can see it." Amelia closed her eyes. "It's a beautiful little spring, secluded and untouched. As you step out of the fresh, clean waters, I'm waiting for you. We lay down in the grass…" Sam put his hand on her arm, bringing her back to reality; and to stop her before she started to glow any brighter.

"That sounds amazing. Let's get out of this concrete and steel jungle, and you tell me where to find it."

They smiled at each other as Sam started the engine. As he stopped to exit the facility and enter the morning commuter traffic, he asked her 'which way?'.

She replied. "Head to Missouri's; and I'll let you know when we're there."

"Huh. Is that ancient goddess for 'I'm making this up as I go'?" Sam asked, chuckling.

Amelia glared at him. She was still trying to stay out of his thoughts, but his tone of voice told her he was teasing her. "No. But, this is _powerful_ goddess for 'Shut up and drive'." She said as she waved her hand toward the street. Sam looked out to the street just as all the cars came to a stop, leaving them a clear path. He glanced back at her, and she just raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders. "Well?"

Sam stepped on the gas and pulled onto the street. As soon as the Tahoe was on the street, the traffic started moving again. "Nice."

X

As soon as they cleared the densely populated, urban area around Madison, Amelia started watching the landscape intently. After an hour, as they cleared Rockford, Illinois, she sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"There is so much …, just so much. We're nowhere near the spring." She closed her eyes and it was obvious she was concentrating. "But, there is something else. I can't see it clearly, but I feel a presence… Someone or something is out there."

"Can I assume; something not good?" He asked as glancing at her face and seeing concern. "Of course, not good. I knew it would be bad luck yesterday when I said I was hopeful."

She looked at Sam, and allowed herself to read his thoughts for the first time since she had reminded him she couldn't stay. "Please don't lose hope now. Whatever it is that I'm sensing, it will not stop us. I promise, in less than two days Dean will be out of Purgatory and with you."

Sam took a deep breath to let go of some of the fear her words had caused. He kept driving down the I-88, but started checking his rear-view mirrors, looking to see if they were being tailed.

In just under an hour, they had started heading west on the I-80; with no sign of being followed. They stopped for gas and then lunch on the west side of Davenport, Iowa. Sam thought Amelia was overly calm after sensing something was after them. He stayed on high-alert as they ate in the car, so he could make a quick get-away and/or protect Amelia and the fluids, if needed.

"Sam, would a place like this have a restroom I can use?" Amelia asked suddenly after finishing her sandwich.

"Yeah, they should."

"Okay. I'll be right back." She said as she popped out of the car before Sam could stop her.

He watched her go to the counter and the cashier point to the far side of the small building. Sam kept an eye on her as she walked to the side of the shop and then out of sight. Despite knowing she was fully capable of taking care of herself, he worried the second he couldn't see her.

His concern grew dramatically as a panel van pulled into the parking lot and parked to the side, blocking his view of corner of the building. Sam saw the driver sitting the van, with the engine running, but couldn't see if there were any others exiting the vehicle.

Sam knew it took women longer to go to the bathroom; and even after living with Jess, he didn't quite understand it. But, it had now been several minutes since Amelia had disappeared around the corner of the building, and two minutes since the van had obscured his view. His hunter's senses were now screaming at him that something wasn't right.

He pulled out his gun to check it and was just reaching to open his door when he heard Amelia's voice in his head. 'Sam, we have company. Be careful, there is another one watching you and the car.'

"Crap." Sam cursed. He looked around the parking lot as casually as he could. That's when he noticed a pickup truck behind him, near the road. It also had the driver still sitting behind the wheel, and the engine idling. 'Amelia, are you okay?' Sam asked her in his thoughts. They hadn't communicated this way at such a distance before, but if he could hear her, she should be able to hear him.

'Oh yes. We're fine. Can the other one; and by the way, it's Tim, the hunter I sensed at Cassie's. Can he see the restroom door?'

'Fuck. How did Tim find us?' Sam's apprehension was now replaced with anger. But, it only took him a second to tuck that away for later and assessed the situation. 'No, he can't have a line of sight to you.'

'Can you distract him while I go around the building, and get behind him?'

'What? Amelia, don't do it! Tim may be an asshole, but he's a seasoned hunter.' Sam said as he got out of the car, knowing she wouldn't listen to him. He also knew she was probably already headed around the back of the building.

He started stomping towards Tim's truck, hand behind his back, gripping the handle of his gun. "Tim! You asshole, get out of the truck and face me, you bastard!"

Sam saw Tim look at the van, and then he opened his door. From his stance behind the open door, Sam assumed he had his gun drawn as well. He let Sam get within a few feet of the hood of the truck. "That's close enough Sam. Take another step and your girlfriend will suffer a little more than she already has."

"You seem to make a habit of using women for shields. Your mother must be so proud." Sam taunted, as he spotted Amelia coming out from behind the building.

"Talk about using women; exactly what are you doing to that girl? You know, the one Roy and Walt should be loading into that van as we speak." Sam knew immediately who Tim had to be talking about; the pair of hunters that had shot him and Dean three years ago. "You Winchesters. How you call yourselves Hunters is beyond me. You're worse than most of the things I hunt."

"Yeah, 'cause kidnapping an innocent girl is so noble." Talking to Tim was making his skin crawl, but he needed to give Amelia a couple more minutes to get into place. "I'll give you points for finding me. How'd you manage that, anyway?"

"Garth and his little computer geek made a point of spreading the word, assuming everybody would want to get on the 'help the Winchesters bandwagon'. Well, that and Walt's wife works at the storage place and saw you rent that locker. We just waited for you to come back." Tim replied cockily, and then he stepped from behind the truck door. Sam had been correct; he had a pistol in one hand, which he now pointed at Sam. In his other hand he had his phone, which he lifted to speak into. "Walt? You guys got her in the van yet?"

"No, I'm afraid they don't." Amelia replied, from a few feet behind Tim. As he started to whirl around to face her, she smiled at Sam and clapped her hands together. Tim dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"Is he dead?" Sam asked as he came around the open door.

"No. But I can arrange that if you'd like." Amelia responded very matter-of-factly. "And his friends, too."

"What did you do with them?" Sam asked as started to load Tim into his truck.

Amelia picked up Tim's gun and phone from where they had fallen to the ground. "They're in the back of the van." This time she was definitely grinning. "They'll wake up with very nasty headaches."

"Huh. Well, despite the fact they were trying to kill me; and that Roy and Walt already did once, I can't let you kill them." Sam said as closed the pickup's door and looked around the parking lot to see if they had any witnesses. There was absolutely no one around. He looked at Amelia, but didn't bother asking the question, since she was reading his mind again.

"I'm learning. No spectacles, right? It's just a slightly bigger version of the traffic stop spell." That's when Sam noticed there were no sounds and no movement, of any kind. She started to quickly lead Sam away from Tim's truck; as they were climbing into the car, she waved her hand. Suddenly there were all the background noises of everyday life. A few seconds later a car went by on the highway. "See, no witnesses."

"Did you just stop time?" Sam asked from behind the steering wheel of the SUV.

"No. Even I can't do that. I just suspended motion for anything in the area." She responded, again like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Did you decide what we should do with Tim and his friends?"

Sam sat there in stunned silence. He didn't know how long she'd had this much power, but she seemed very comfortable using, what he considered substantially increased powers.

"I could erase their memories of us. Oooh ooh. I could implant some really horrible images, too."

"Slow down, I'm still wrapping my head around suspending animation." He looked at her, and her face fell with disappointment. "But, definitely wipe their memories of us."

As Sam started the car and put it in gear, Amelia saw how concerned he was about her behavior the last few minutes. She looked to the van and closed her eyes for a couple seconds; then she repeated the procedure facing Tim's truck. "Okay, they'll wake up and have no idea why they're here."

Sam pulled out onto the road and headed back to the interstate. "Sam. You don't need to worry about me, I'm not turning into some power-mad, vengeful creature. We controlled the situation, eliminated the threat and nobody got hurt." She had been speaking calmly, trying to reassure him. But, then a grin slipped on her face, and she added, "Of course, the three of them will have the mother-of-all headaches." She gave him an expectant look. "_Mother-_of-all headaches, get it?"

He groaned, that was possibly the worst pun he had ever heard. And he had heard a lot of them from Dean over the years. As he turned up the ramp to get on the I-80, he was hoping it would be her last attempt at puns.

"What? I thought it was funny!"


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 60

The Tahoe sailed west along the I-80 and they reached Des Moines just in time to catch the evening rush hour. Mother Nature despaired again about the way her planet was being treated, and she and Sam discussed, at length, progress, population growth and urban blight. Sam felt like he needed to defend the human race to the goddess, but he largely agreed with her. An hour later, they had cleared the city and were headed south toward the Kansas Cities.

By the time they crossed into Missouri, the interstate was running through beautiful rolling hills, scattered through with streams and small rivers. The wide expanses of verdant green fields filled with crops and stands of trees, with their leaves shimmering in the evening sun, almost made the goddess forget her earlier dismay. About an hour later, Amelia suddenly told Sam to take the next exit. As he quickly changed lanes to get to the exit, he noticed the signs for Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

"Excelsior Springs?" Sam questioned. Amelia didn't respond, she was scanning the landscape, obviously searching for something. "I've heard of it; but they've been developing the springs around there for close to a century."

Sam stopped the car on the shoulder. They were on a slight rise that allowed Amelia an almost 360 degree view of the area. She got out of the car, at first staring towards the hilly area that was famous for its abundant, natural springs; then closing her eyes. Sam would swear it was like she was listening for the spring to call to her.

As if on cue, she opened her eyes. "It's there. The spring for your ablution is about to reach the surface."

"Okay. What?" Sam walked over to stand next to her. "What do you mean 'about to reach the surface'?" He couldn't see anything in particular, just the lights of the small city in the rapidly approaching dusk. "Tell me what we're supposed to do. It's getting dark, do we go find it now, or come back tomorrow, when its light?"

"Now. We go now, before somebody else finds it in the morning," She said as she headed back to the SUV.

Sam jogged back toward the car, picking up on her sense of urgency; and in awe that Amelia could know when and where a new spring would occur. "Show me the way." He said as he started the car and continued down the exit ramp.

As he approached Excelsior Springs, she had him take a small road that led away from the city and the known springs. She hadn't told him when or where to turn, he had _just known_. Sam assumed Amelia was projecting the images into his mind, because he could swear he was sensing this new spring, too.

After he turned onto an old, overgrown and narrow path, he started hearing a thrum. Or maybe he'd call it a vibration; but whatever it was; it had a consistent tempo, like a heartbeat. He glanced over at her, expecting to see Amelia glowing again, but she wasn't. Her eyes were closed again, and she seemed to channeling the source of the vibrations he was feeling.

Sam was a little concerned, he had never seen her quite this….. He had a hard time thinking of the proper word; focused didn't seem adequate. Enthralled was the best he could come up with. He stopped when he had driven as far into the brush as the SUV could go. As he turned off the engine, Amelia came out of her trance-like state. She grinned at him. "Let's get the blanket and your Thermos bottle; we haven't much time." And then she was out of the car.

It was rapidly becoming dark. Sam grabbed the blanket and last Thermos bottle, and handed them to Amelia. He turned back to the SUV and was reaching for the duffel of weapons. They were going into the unknown, and he wanted more than just his handgun. "You won't need those." Amelia said, and then turned and headed into the woods.

"We can't just leave the Tahoe and the fluids unprotected like this." Sam said as he closed the door, feeling vulnerable without his usual arsenal.

She turned back to Sam; waving her hand at the car. "That will keep them safe." Amelia held out her hand and smiled at him. Sam caught up to her and she gave his hand a comforting squeeze as she turned back to the thicket of brush and trees.

X

If Sam thought the last few minutes had been weirder than the usual weirdness surrounding Mother Nature, the next few were surreal. One of the weapons he had wanted to bring was his machete, to cut a path through the undergrowth. Instead, he watched in amazement as the vines and shrubs seemed to part, making them a path through the trees.

The thrumming he had heard in the car was getting louder, well, not really louder, because he wasn't hearing it, he was feeling it. It felt like the ground was vibrating in a regular rhythm. Purring! It felt like the earth below his feet was purring like a blissful cat. But, he could also feel it coming from Amelia, from where their hands were joined together.

As he was looking where she was holding his hand, Amelia turned to glance back at him. If the ground was making the happy purring noise, her face reflected the same pleasured expression. She smiled at him and he was awash in a feeling of pure love. There were no words, orally or telepathically. No images flooded into his mind, or maybe he could see everything that was and had ever been. He didn't remember moving his feet, but suddenly they stepped out of the trees into a clearing.

Dusk had come and gone and it was fully night, but the clearing seemed to have an ambient light. He looked around and saw swarms of fireflies acting like lanterns. The clearing was a nearly perfect circle, with a stony depression at the center, circled by a smooth ring of grass and moss. Amelia let go of his hand and then slipped out of her clothes. In this perfect place, which did truly seem untouched by another human being, there was no mistaking that she was Mother Nature. She stood there with her hands outstretched and eyes closed, her skin shining with a warm radiance. Sam thought this must be what she looked like the first time she stepped out of the primordial chaos.

Sam spread the blanket out on a level grassy area, remembering Amelia's description of this night. He set the Thermos down and started removing his clothes. There was no spring, yet; but he knew without a trace of doubt that there would be. And, if the vibrations coming up through his feet were any indication, it would be very soon. He stepped onto circle of stones next to Amelia just as she looked down to the depression in the stones.

Sam followed her line of vision and within seconds he could see water bubbling up through the rocks. He stared in amazement as the trickle of water became a steady stream. He didn't know if she had just sensed the spring would form here, or she had called the waters out of the ground. Maybe it was a combination of both, but either way it was spine-tingling to experience.

As the water flowed out of the ground, Sam noticed the hole seemed be shaped like a hot tub and even had a stone ledge on one side, like a step. Within minutes the hole was filled with water, but didn't overflow the stone circle. He looked down at Amelia, and now that she had brought forth the spring she looked like his Amelia again, not the powerful goddess she had been a few minutes ago. No, that wasn't right, in fact, she looked more like a small, frightened girl.

She turned to face him, and spoke for the first time since they left the car. "Sam, there is one final barrier we must face before you can step into the water."

He didn't say anything; her tone of voice told him the whole plan hinged on this moment and that he had to get it right. He wasn't really scared, he trusted her as absolutely as he did Dean; and knew there was nothing they couldn't do, together, to get his brother back.

Amelia avoided his eyes, staring at the amulet around his neck. "You have come to know you are not doing this because you owe it to Dean, you are not repaying him for all his sacrifices. Just as you've learned you are worthy of true love, you know your love for Dean is absolute and unfettered. You have learned that kind of love isn't a commodity, it can't be bought or sold, and it does not have a price." She reached up and laid her hand over the amulet. "But to use the amulet as a key to open Purgatory, we must free Apsu, and freeing Apsu does have a price."

Sam reached down and tilted her chin up to make eye contact. "Amelia. Whatever it is, we'll make it work; just tell me." He bent down and kissed her forehead.

She nodded before speaking. "Do you remember why Apsu was cursed into the amulet?"

So much had happened since she had told him about the trapped god, her former consort. "Yeah, something about your kids."

She snorted in derision. "The idiot thought killing our noisy, rowdy children would be a relief to me." She paused as a tear slid down her cheek. "He was cursed by Ea and his spirit was trapped; but I also was cursed. I had had many children while in my vessels throughout the centuries. But, because Apsu had thought I would like it if our children were murdered, I was cursed to never bear children again." She looked down at her abdomen, putting her hands over the tattoo. "Until now."

"What?" Sam could only manage to whisper out.

Mother Nature, or she should probably think of herself as Tiamat, since that was who she was when she had been cursed, took a deep breath before raising her head and looking up at Sam. "Sam, the price that must be paid is mine, not yours. I get to know that this vessel will have your child, but that I will not be here to experience more than the first few days of her existence."

"What?" He could still only manage the single word, but managed a little more volume.

Tears were now streaming down her face as she saw the turmoil in his mind, knowing she had been the cause, yet again, of the shock he was feeling. She also knew there were no words to say to help him over this barrier, so she decided to show him. She put her hand back on his chest, but over his heart this time. Mother Nature opened her mind unto his and showed him his future with Amelia Stone and their daughter. She showed him a life-time of happiness with a family, a family that included his brother, watching and guiding each other's children grow into adulthood, and both of them getting old together.

"To break my part of the curse, I must be willing to sacrifice myself for a child." She saw tears were now streaming from his eyes, as well. She reached up and wiped the tears from his face. "In two days, I will leave our child in your and Amelia's capable hands. You will grow to love Amelia; and you will face whatever life throws at you." She paused and smiled. "You will argue with your brother about whose turn it is to host the Fourth of July BBQ and call Dean a jerk on his deathbed when he's 85."

She took a step back away from Sam. "I think maybe I was wrong; you too, have a price to pay. You had to understand the part I play in this mess, and be willing to proceed despite my faults. So, now, knowing everything; you need to demonstrate your purified love for Dean and step into the water. And then, we will make love in this beautiful place and collect the final fluid to free your brother."

Sam didn't know how his head hadn't exploded with everything he had heard and seen in the last few minutes. Every human emotion he knew of was fighting for dominance in him. He was filled with joy at the future he had been shown; but he was just as angry at the cost that happiness would cost this woman, or goddess; hell, he didn't even know what to call her any more. And, he was scared shitless because he had just learned he was going to be a father, a dream he had given up years ago.

Somehow, as all these thoughts fought each other in his mind, he watched the ancient goddess, his lover, the mother of his child, walk over to the blanket and sit down, waiting for him to come to her. Then, it was suddenly clear to him. He turned and stepped down into the pool of water. He turned to look at Amelia as he bent his knees to immerse himself completely in the pure water, and smiled. The coolness of the water only further cleared his thinking. He had rewritten destiny before, and he'd do it again. He closed his eyes as he dipped his head back and let his face be covered by the water. As he lifted his head back out of the water, he didn't have a plan, exactly. But what was clear was that he was Sam Winchester, stopper of the Apocalypse, survivor of Lucifer's cage, and brother of Dean Winchester, the best hunter there ever was. Once he got Dean back, nothing was going to stop them from saving his goddess, and all three of them facing their futures _together._


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 61

It was almost four in the morning when they pulled into Missouri's driveway. Sam had called her from the car, just before they got back on the I-35 for the last hundred miles of their trip. After she had chewed his ass out about 'worrying her to death' because they were so late, she had let Sam explain about finding the spring and performing his ritual bath. He left out pretty much everything else that had happened. He figured she already knew most of it, and he sure as hell wasn't going to describe his and Amelia's love-making. Nor did he tell her how awkward it had been to actually get his semen _collected during an act of love_ into a Thermos jar.

He was also pretty sure she didn't want to know about the two extra times, after the fluids had been safely stored in the Thermos, that they had made love. And even if she had wanted to hear about, there were no words adequate to describe those hours. Even in his own mind, he couldn't put words to what had happened. He had heard Dean use the expression _mind-blowing sex_, but that was a completely inadequate description of the passion they had found with each other. The Eastern concept of Nirvana, the state of complete spiritual happiness, in which human existence no longer seems important, came close but only close. They had both been so exhausted afterwards they had slept, naked and wrapped around each other like they were a single entity, for a couple of hours.

Missouri watched them as they unloaded the cooler, now loaded with all seven precious fluids, and the rest of their gear. She saw that the goddess had finally told him everything, and the older woman was surprised at how easily Sam had accepted everything; in fact he seemed more comfortable with himself, his past and the future than she had ever seen him. The psychic gasped when their hands brushed together while reaching to grab the same duffel, the energy that brief touch generated, had her flushing from the passion that these two had for each other.

Both Sam and Amelia were so exhausted they could hardly walk, but she could see they were also dehydrated and hungry. She made both of them sit down and eat something and drink plenty of water, before she'd let them fall into bed. It was less than 24 hours until they would be performing the ritual to crack open Purgatory and get Dean back. They would need more than just the emotional strength they gave each other. Performing something as powerful as they were planning would need physical strength, too.

The sun was sending its earliest hints of light over the eastern horizon as they reached their bedroom door. Missouri sensed the protection spell Amelia put over the house before she closed the door behind them. She sighed in relief when she felt them both fall asleep the second their heads hit the pillows. It was only a few hours before the others would start to return to help make sure everything was ready for tomorrow.

X

Jody was the first to arrive, shortly after 10 AM. She and Missouri were still talking on the front porch when a young woman stopped her car and got out. "Excuse me, are you Missouri Mosley?" The beautiful woman called over the roof of her car as soon as she was standing.

"I am." The psychic knew who she was instantly. "Come on in, Cassie." Missouri turned to Jody. "She's an old friend of Dean's; and one of the seven."

Cassie was only slightly surprised to be called by name. She had done her research and knew Missouri Mosley was supposed to be a powerful psychic. Believing in psychic abilities had once seemed absurd to the seasoned reporter. But then, Dean and his brother had saved her and her mother from a _ghost_ truck. If she could accept that and all the supernatural phenomena she had researched in the last few years, psychic abilities seemed a natural extension.

Jody stepped off the porch and met Cassie half-way up the walk. "Hi, I'm Sheriff Jody Mills, of Sioux Falls. Welcome aboard."

The two younger women headed back to the porch and Missouri. "Cassie, honey; you're even prettier than I pictured you."

"Thank you. I feel like I know the both of you; Sam spoke so fondly of you. Where are Sam and Amelia?" Ever the reporter, Cassie got straight to it.

"They didn't get back until four this morning. I'm trying to let them get a little more sleep." Missouri replied.

"We're good." Sam said sleepily as he opened the screen door and joined the women on the porch. He enveloped first Jody and then Cassie in a hug. "It's great to see both of you. Run into any problems?"

As Missouri led them all back into the house, Jody answered Sam. "I don't know if this has anything to do with this, but I got a call from Garth late yesterday. Seems about noon, three hunters ran into something that knocked them out cold, but didn't hurt them. Except; none of them could remember anything; not even why they were there."

"Please tell me they still had _the mother-_of-all-headaches?" Amelia asked as she walked into the hallway. Sam groaned and turned into the kitchen. "What! I still think it was funny."

Sam told them what had happened while Amelia took the first shower. Garth arrived while Sam was in the shower; which was probably a very good thing. Amelia calmly told Garth what the three hunters had tried to do. So, when Sam walked back into the kitchen and saw Garth, he was prepared for Sam's anger. Charlie had the extraordinarily bad timing to arrive while Sam was reading Garth the riot act; and he included her in his outburst.

'SAM. That's enough!' Amelia telepathically shouted into his mind. 'It was an honest mistake, and neither of us got hurt.'

Sam stopped yelling, took a deep breath before apologizing. "Garth, Charlie, I'm sorry. I know you couldn't have known they would come after us. But, you've got to remember there are still a few Hunters out there that really, _really_ don't like the Winchesters, and hold me responsible for starting the apocalypse. Maybe, you should use a little more discretion on who you tell our plans."

Garth waited a second to make sure Sam had finished. "Sam, I swear, we didn't tell those guys anything; someone else must have told them."

The tension in the room was palpable, until Garth smiled and crooned. "Hello there. And who is this pretty little lady?" Everyone had been so preoccupied with the incident from yesterday; no one had introduced Cassie to the newer arrivals. Everybody either groaned or rolled their eyes at Garth's attempt to flirt with the young woman, Charlie did both.

"Garth, Charlie, this is Cassie Robinson. She's an old friend of ours. She's also one of the fluid donors." Sam introduced Cassie to the younger hunter and computer genius. He then looked around the room at the five people, and one goddess, gathered here, all willing to risk their lives, to help rescue Dean. "Listen, I shouldn't have bit your heads off. I hope everybody knows how much I appreciate what you're doing for Dean, and me."

"Its cool,man." Garth spoke first, still flashing his grin at Cassie.

Amelia and Sam hadn't eaten since last night, and she headed to the kitchen to whip up something. But since it was already almost noon, Missouri just set out the lunch she had prepared; and everybody gathered in the kitchen to eat. Sam watched the collection of diverse characters talk and share information like this was any other day.

Except, it wasn't just any other day. In less than 24 hours, he'd lead these people to Stull Cemetery; open a door to Purgatory and pull Dean and Cas out. He would introduce his brother to Amelia; and then he'd lose her forever. But, then he'd meet the girl carrying his child. He wondered again how his head hadn't exploded. How was he still functioning? And, why was he actually feeling fairly calm and confident about all that had, and was about to, happen? He looked at Amelia, wondering if she had slipped him some telepathic Valium.

Amelia looked at Sam, hearing his questions. She just smiled lovingly and shook her head. 'It is all you, my darling.'

X

By early-afternoon, Garth had heard from several hunters he had sent to scope out the cemetery. Other than a couple of tourists visiting 'the Most Haunted cemetery in North America', there had been no activity in the area. They had set out a few devil's traps and warding sigils anyway.

When the doorbell rang, Cassie volunteered to answer it. Missouri and Amelia had been sensing she was holding something back, and as she spoke they knew what she had been hiding. They also both knew Sam was not going to be happy about it. Amelia got up from the kitchen table they were all seated around, and stood behind Sam, resting her hands on his shoulders. Everybody could hear Cassie quietly talking to someone, and then heard Cassie head back to the room. Amelia wished she did have a telepathic sedative, or a really big bucket, because the shit was about to hit-the-fan.

Cassie stopped at the door to the kitchen. "Sam, when you were in my office, you left a copy of the list of people you and Dean had helped over the years." She cleared her throat nervously. "I know you only needed seven, but I contacted as many of them as I could find."

Amelia, who had already moved her hands from just resting on Sam's shoulders, to lightly gripping them, strengthened her grip. Cassie turned back to the hallway and motioned her hand. "Everyone, and I mean every single one of them, wanted to do whatever they could to help." And as she spoke Melanie Golden stepped into the kitchen.

"Hi, Sam." The young clairvoyant said, smiling and then looked around the room. "Wow. You've got a lot of friends."

Amelia now had to tap into her supernatural strength to keep Sam in his chair. 'Calm down. They're trying to help.' She reached into his thoughts, trying to keep him from exploding. Sam had wondered about Amelia moving to stand behind him, now he understood. She had seen this coming and was trying to protect him from himself. He didn't like to admit it, but he did have a temper.

But it wasn't just that; despite Amelia's absolute faith the ritual would be successful, he was nervous, maybe even scared. When had something this big ever gone off without a hitch for them? It was bad enough he was endangering Jody, a seasonal cop, and Garth a seasoned..., well he was a Hunter. He really didn't like civilians putting themselves at risk like this.

He didn't like being _managed_ either. He took a deep breath and got control of his emotions. Amelia sensed it immediately and let go of his shoulders. "Hey Melanie." He got up and gave the pretty brunette a hug. "You shouldn't have come." And then he turned to Cassie. "You shouldn't have done this." He turned to the group as a whole. "Listen, I know you're all trying to help. And I appreciate it, I really do, and so will Dean. But, tonight could be dangerous." He stopped when he saw the expressions on Cassie, Missouri and Amelia's faces. "What?" He asked, just as the doorbell rang again.


	63. Chapter 63

Author's Note: This is kind of a long one. We're getting really close; only one or two more chapters to go. Thanks again to everybody who has stuck with me!

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Chapter 62

By late afternoon Missouri's house was so full of people that Dean and Sam had helped over the last seven years, they were spilling out onto the backyard. Sam was torn between being overwhelmed by the show of support and petrified there was no way he could protect this many people. Actually, there were enough hunters present; he knew they could hold off a demon-leviathan army, if they had too.

Missouri, on the other hand was beyond stressed. Not only was she not prepared for this many people, and _Lord help her_, she wanted to throttle Cassie. But having this many white people in her house was causing her neighbors to keep calling and asking what was going on. She eventually took her phone off the hook. If one of her regular clients called, they'd just have to try again later.

"Cassie, what the hell were you thinking?" Sam had asked her when he could get her alone out near the garage, shortly after Jenny Cooper and her kids had shown up. "How could you invite all these people here?"

Cassie knew she should have told Sam, and Missouri. She had seen the angry looks from the older woman and she was more scared of her than Sam. "Listen, Sam. I know I should have told you I contacted them. But, I didn't _invite_ them. They insisted on coming to help."

"Cassie, you knew we only needed seven. These people are just going to distract us, or get us and/or them hurt. Hell, I haven't even had a chance to review the ritual with Amelia; I've been so busy saying hello to everybody."

"That's the thing. I think they can help." Cassie replied, pulling Sam into the garage. "I found a reference about the ritual in a text on ancient Sumeria. It dealt with how two of their gods, Apsu and Tiamat, suddenly disappeared." Upon hearing those names, Cassie now had Sam's full attention. "Ea, a wizard, he was considered the Lord of Incantations; anyway, this Ea guy, tried to have himself declared a god. He claimed he, too, was a god because he had banished 'those wicked gods by channeling the strength of his many followers'.

Sam nodded his head. "Amelia told me most of that." He reached up and lifted the amulet out of his shirt. "Cassie, this is Apsu, he's trapped in the amulet. We're going to break his curse as part of the ritual of opening Purgatory for Dean to escape."

Cassie stared at the necklace, dumbstruck. She recognized it; she'd only ever seen Dean take it off twice in all the times they had been together. A small chill went through her, imagining that she and Dean had had an audience every time they had made love. She shook her head to get that image out of her head. Then another thought crossed her mind. "Wait. How does she know so much about this?"

Sam smiled. "You missed something in your research. Didn't you read that the goddess Tiamat was considered a variation of the Earth Mother mythology?" The blank look on her face made him actually chuckle. "Earth Mother, Mother Nature, get it?" When it was clear she still didn't get the connection, he added. "Cassie, Amelia WAS Tiamat."

He could swear he saw an actual light bulb come on over her head. "She…, she…, she was there?" Was all she was able to say at first. But it didn't take her long to recover. "Did she tell you, Ea bragged no one would ever find enough followers to break the curse because the power he got from his many believers had added to his spell?"

"The ritual only calls for 'seven to show their love'." Sam said, starting to think maybe he had been right about something always going wrong when Winchesters were involved.

"She probably didn't know about needing followers. The prick didn't start to boast until after they had both disappeared."

Sam was quiet while his mind raced, thinking about all his goddess had told him. "It's possible. She's been going by what Apsu told her. Maybe neither of them knew."

"Knew what?" Amelia asked as she entered the garage. "I hope I'm not intruding, but I sensed something was wrong."

Cassie jumped at the sound. Sam had known he was giving off worried vibes and that Amelia would probably pick up on them, so he just gestured for her to join them. He also didn't bother repeating the conversation, knowing she would see it in his thoughts.

"What'd ya think? Is there any way Apsu missed something about breaking the curse and opening Purgatory?" Sam asked as he causally draped his arm over her shoulders when she stood close to him. He already felt better about this possible wrinkle, by just having her next to him.

Amelia was staring at the amulet hanging around Sam's neck. "I doubt it." Then she looked at Cassie. "And I don't care what your source said; Ea was a horrible little man; and he was _just_ a man, not a god. He never had more than a dozen followers at his peak. There's no way they could have added enough psychic strength to the curse to make the ritual fail."

"That's good. I wouldn't have let them come out there anyway." Sam said, with finality to his tone. "Cassie, I understand they want to help, but I won't let them be put in harm's way. And Dean would never forgive me if I let any of them get hurt. Send them home."

"Actually…" Amelia started. Sam turned to look at her, disbelieving she thought having civilians present at the ritual was a good idea. "I think maybe they could help with something. Without putting anybody in danger!" She said to Sam when she heard him start to protest in his mind. To Cassie she asked, "Is this everybody that said they would come?"

"What? There are going to be more?" Sam had managed to hold still, but now he was pacing in the limited space in the garage. "Oh God." He turned to Cassie. "Missouri is going to skin you alive; you are so on your own."

X

Sam hadn't given Cassie a chance to answer Amelia's question. And before she could, the goddess was herding the two of them back out to the backyard. Cassie and Sam were startled to find everybody had moved to the small yard; and were now looking expectantly at the three of them. The two new faces among the group partially answered Amelia's question. If she'd counted all the names she'd seen in Cassie's mind, there was still one or two more coming. She hadn't been surprised to see them all waiting in the backyard, she had asked Garth and Charlie to bring them out here.

She knew the ritual, with the donated fluids of the seven and the amulet, would free Dean and his Angel friend. But, she had been charged with another task; she was also to permanently close all the broken seals out of Purgatory. They didn't need these people to break Apsu's curse or free Dean, but she could use their energies to keep the Leviathan, and all the other horrible things that were down there, from ever wreaking havoc again. It would be her parting gift to this wonderful little planet.

"Hello everyone. I'm Amelia, and you all know Sam, of course," Sam nodded his head at the group. "And most of you have been in contact with Cassie." She paused for a second, scanning the thoughts and feelings of the group. She smiled; there wasn't a single one who wasn't ready to do whatever Sam needed them to do.

"You all know you're here to help Sam rescue Dean; but do you all know why?" The confusion she sensed told her, most of them did not know why Dean needed help. They hadn't cared; they had come to repay the men that had selflessly helped them. "Okay, well, I'm going to let Sam tell you why we're here." She stepped back, giving Sam _the floor._

Sam looked at her and then at the group of people, some he hadn't seen in almost a decade; then back at Amelia. "What do I tell them?"

She smiled back at him. "Everything."

He looked back out at the faces. How do you start to explain that your brother was sucked into Purgatory, with an Angel by-the-way, while killing the leader of an ancient kind of monster that ate people and then assumed their identity, and that these monsters had escaped from Purgatory because of the afore-mentioned Angel? Sure, they had all had some kind of experience with the supernatural; a Wendigo here, a shifter there, ghosts, zombies or cursed lands. But, even some of the hunters in the group didn't know _everything. _Hunting was a lot like espionage; you tried to minimize the encounter whenever possible. You sure as hell didn't tell them _everything_!

"Uh. Okay. Well, Dean is.., is trapped in.., was sucked into…" Amelia saw all his thoughts and how difficult this was going to be on Sam. She stepped back up next to him, and whispered. "May I?" He puffed out a breath of relief as he answered her. "Please."

"Hello again. I think this is a hard for Sam because he's not used to telling people what's really out there." She stopped when Sam nodded at the Cooper kids. "Jody, could you take Sari and Ritchie into the house. Why doesn't everyone else find a place to sit?" The adults settled, some on the ground, as the kids were escorted inside.

"I'm sorry. There just isn't a lot of time to explain everything to all of you." She took a deep breath and dove in head first. "Dean is in Purgatory. It is an actual place. He was trapped there when he and Sam killed a very powerful monster, thereby pretty much saving the world; for the second time in three years." The fear and confusion emanating from the collection of minds became deafening; and she hadn't even gotten to the part about who she really was.

This would have been so much easier five thousand, or even five hundred years ago; then, people just believed what they were told. Modern mankind thought that they were so well informed; but they had a hard time believing something unless they could see it themselves. Mother Nature knew how to get them to understand; it would be a little frightening but she knew they'd get the message.

She debated getting Sam's approval, because he and his fellow hunter's would have to clean up the mess she was going to make. But, that would take almost as long as the explanation; besides, it was easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. That had been a universal truth a lot longer than the 30 years it had been a popular expression in America. 'Sam, do you trust me?' Amelia asked, reaching into his mind.

He looked at her, wondering how she could ask that. The expression on her face sent a chill down his spine, but didn't change his answer. "Of course."

Sam could swear her face lit up with the smile she returned him. That was split-second before it occurred to him, her whole body was glowing; and not just glowing like when she was happy, but shining with rapidly increasing intensity.

X

"What the hell was that?" Missouri yelled as she came out her back door. She noticed Amelia was the only one seemingly able to hear her; that everybody else was staring blankly or blinking unfocused eyes. As she looked around her small backyard, she saw the other faces start to regain awareness.

"I'm sorry, Missouri. It was the fastest way to get them all where I needed them to be." The goddess replied, looking only slightly chagrinned.

"Holy crap!" Sam said while shaking his head. "Is it too late to change my answer about trusting you?"

She smiled as she took his hand, clearing the last of the ringing from his ears. "Yeah, kind of." She let go of his hand and started going up to each person and touching their shoulder. They'd look up, like they were surprised, but recognition came upon seeing her face.

"I'm sorry if that was unpleasant, but it was important you all understand what is going to happen tonight, and why." She said after getting everybody's attention. "If anybody doesn't feel comfortable about participating in this," she paused as she came to stand next to Sam, "we'd understand."

Amelia turned to Sam. "Sam, are you okay with my plan? I swear to you, they will be safe."

"A little warning, Morpheus, next time, before you slip me the red pill; but if we can get Dean back AND close all the exits out of Purgatory at the same time, I'm on board." He reached out and took her hand. She didn't understand the odd reference; but she heard almost everybody else snicker and assumed it had been a joke. That he could joke with her was more reassuring than his actual agreement.

"Well, I can't feed this many people." Missouri announced, still standing on her back porch. "Charlie, why don't you and Jody go and get something for dinner."

Mother Nature knew that was as close as Missouri was going to get, to saying she forgave the goddess for the psychic intrusion she had just made into all their minds. She also saw Missouri had forgiven Cassie for bringing all these people to her home. In fact, the older psychic was now kind of excited to be part of something so important.

And despite the offer, that anybody that didn't want to take part in the rituals tonight, would be free to leave; not a single person left. Sam worried a bit about the Hunters in the group. Amelia, or he guessed Mother Nature was more accurate in this case, had just told them she was a supernatural being. And after their encounter with Tim, Walt and Roy yesterday…. Of course, those three had been after him, not her.

He looked at the small group closely. Nobody, neither seasoned hunter nor, yesterday what he would have called civilian, seemed scared, or even phased, that they were in the presence of an ancient and powerful goddess. Sam did notice; that after she talked to everyone who came up to her, she directed them toward Cassie or the two psychics. Garth took the hunters into the house and took over Missouri's dining room table to pour over maps and review the logistics for the night's activities.

By the time Jody and Charlie got back with the food, Sam and Amelia had managed to slip into the garage unnoticed. "Geez, what a day. Should we review the steps of the ritual while we finally have some time alone together?" Sam asked as he closed the door behind him. "Huh, I don't remember folding down the seats, or leaving the blanket spread out like that." Sam commented when he saw the back of the Tahoe.

Amelia just smiled at him as she climbed into the back of the SUV. "You don't?" She asked mockingly. As he crawled in behind her, she waved her hand, the back door of the car closed and Sam heard the locks of the car snap. "Well, I promise you'll never forget the next few minutes." She whispered as she reached up and took his face in her hands.

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea, there's so much to do and so little time left." He sighed as she was pulling him down to her.

Mother Nature knew this might be the last chance she'd have to be with this man like this. "That's exactly why it's probably my best idea ever!" She lifted her head and kissed him. If he had any further arguments, they disappeared.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 63

Nobody went looking for Sam or Amelia, they didn't need to. Mother Nature had forgotten; once she had made a connection with a mind, that mind was always going to be somewhat attuned to her emotions, especially very strong ones. Not everybody in the house knew what, or why, they were suddenly feeling….very, very happy. Missouri and Melanie got a lot more than just feelings, and the psychics had to excuse them themselves briefly. The rest of their core group figured it out very quickly, and struggled to try and explain it to the newest arrivals.

It wasn't as difficult as they had thought. After what they had all experienced in the backyard, when Amelia – who they all now knew was really Mother Nature – had entered their thoughts and shown them basically the history of the world, including Sam and Dean's involvement being a main reason they were all still in this world; and how tonight, they were all going to be part of making the world safer; and that she had shown them all of that in just a few seconds; well, explaining what they were all feeling seemed kind of 'normal'.

It was dusk by the time Sam and Amelia came in through the back door. Everybody had finished eating and several were dozing in various places around the house. Jody tried to 'mother hen' them; saying they needed to eat something and to lie down and rest before the ritual. Missouri gave them a quick scowl and then agreed with Jody. They both drank plenty of water, but Amelia informed their friends they couldn't eat this close to the ritual. Sam kissed the two women, thanked for everything they had done to help, but informed them 'he would sleep after he got Dean back'.

Sam went to the dining room and checked with Garth on the plans for tonight. He thought about it briefly, he had left all the logistics to Garth and the other hunters; not something he, or Dean, would normally have done. Had Garth really become that much better of a Hunter, or was he actually learning to accept and trust help when it was offered? He smiled. It was yet another way Amelia had changed him, and one more thing he'd have to explain to Dean.

After thanking them all for their efforts, Sam watched as Garth dispatched most of the hunter's to head out to the cemetery and establish an even tighter perimeter. Since Lee and Krissy Chambers had come out of their retirement from hunting, but could also be counted as people the Winchesters had helped; they were chosen to stay and organize getting everybody to the cemetery safely. And they would be part of Amelia's Purgatory-sealing ritual.

Amelia and Sam both took showers. It wasn't that they needed to be purified, again; but the goddess knew they should at least be clean, and not be covered in sweat. Sam looked down at the amulet as he was showering. "Tonight's the big night, Apsu. I hope you're ready for this." He felt the small vibration and smiled. "It's too bad you won't get to meet Dean after all the years you spent around his neck." Sam thought about all Dean had been through while wearing the necklace. And after the amulet vibrated a little more forcefully, added. "Yeah, maybe your right."

X

It was just before 11 PM when Sam placed the cooler back into the Tahoe. Missouri was the only other one left at the house, beside him and Amelia. All the others had taken off in a small caravan. Everybody was anxious, but no one was scared enough to back out; and they all had been asked one more time as they headed out Missouri's front door. It wasn't until he was alone in the garage; that it fully sank in where he was going tonight. Last time he was at Stull Cemetery he had taken control of his body from Lucifer just long enough to throw himself into the Pit.

They'd be using almost the exact spot where he had opened the door to Hell and Lucifer's cage. They'd use that path but detour it to Purgatory, instead. He glanced at his watch; in just over four hours he would have Dean and Castiel back. A few minutes later, Amelia would seal off all the portals to Purgatory forever.

He looked at the blanket, now neatly folded in the back of the SUV; thinking that it would be the last bed he and Amelia would probably share. No, that wasn't right. It would be the last time he was with Mother Nature! He hadn't even met Amelia, the real Amelia, yet. He didn't know which freaked him out more; returning to the place of the hardest thing he had ever done; or, within 24 hours, parting with her, and doing the hardest thing he still had to do.

Sam felt soft arms slip around his waist and his lover's face press against his back. They just stood there; neither having the strength to break the connection, or look into the other's face. By the time Missouri cleared her throat as she stood just outside the garage door; there was a pretty large wet spot on the back of Sam's shirt. As Amelia pulled away, Sam used his sleeve to wipe the tears from his face. "Crap. I may have to change my shirt again." He said as he turned around, smiling sadly. However, he actually laughed when he saw how Amelia's puffy, red eyes only made her more beautiful to him. He stared at her unique face covered with tear tracks and how her still bizarrely cut and colored hair was matted down where she had been pressed against him; not wanting to ever forget _this_ Amelia.

Amelia pulled up the hem of shirt and blew her nose. "What the hell?" Sam asked surprised.

"Well, you were going to it change it anyway." She smiled innocently up at him. Missouri came through the door and found them laughing hysterically and Sam pulling off his shirt; one that had been clean when he came out here.

X

Stull, Kansas was not a big town, technically not even a town. It was midway between Lawrence and Topeka, and was basically a wide spot on a road in Douglas County. But thanks to the internet and the growing list of web sites and blogs citing the cemetery as being haunted; the local police had to work hard to keep tourists and vandals out of the small plot of land. Jody's primary function in tonight's mission was to keep the sheriff's deputies out of their way.

Sam was struck by how normal the houses and shops looked as he drove down the main street. Last time, of course, he hadn't driven to the cemetery. He had been Lucifer's vessel and the angel had just transported them directly to the old, overgrown patch of land.

Garth called as the car was clearing the edge of town; everybody had made it and there was no sign of demons, or anything else nasty, in the area. He stopped the SUV at the gate, next to all the other vehicles. It was almost midnight, but an absolutely clear night; so the half moon was more than adequate to light up the field for everybody to walk without tripping on anything. Sam could see they were all either still sitting in or waiting by the cars.

"Are you positive none of them will be hurt?" He turned to ask Amelia once more.

"Yes." She said as she was reaching for her door handle. When Sam and Missouri started reaching for their handles, she added, "Give me two minutes and I will protect all of you." And she was out of the car.

"Everything sounds so much like good-bye." Sam turned to look at Missouri in the back seat. "I don't know if I can do this."

The psychic knew he wasn't talking about saving Dean. She also knew there was nothing she could say to make it easier for him. She struggled to think of something that would remind him of all they had given each other, without reminding him of all he was to lose. In the end, she just reached up and put her hand on his shoulder.

Mother Nature stepped inside the gate of the cemetery and closed her eyes. She listened until she could hear all the hunters spread out in a large circle around the field. But Jody was even farther away, in town. Her mind searched the next few hours ahead; she saw a couple of townsfolk would still be awake at the time of the ritual and despite Jody's best efforts a deputy would be driving nearby at that time.

She opened her eyes and smiled. It had been a long time since she had displayed this much power openly. A month ago she'd whipped up that sudden rainstorm to put out the fire that had closed the highway as discretely as possible. Mother Nature hadn't told Sam or the others, the rituals would be loud and bright enough it would be felt and seen in both Topeka and Lawrence, and maybe even Kansas City. There was not much she could do about that. But she could insulate all these people willing to help her and Sam, and the people of Stull, who had the bad luck to live on top of a gateway to other dimensions.

Being a goddess in ancient times required some showmanship. She didn't need any flashy effects to make her spells and protections, they were just fun. It went back to humans needing to see it to believe it. The rituals, those were another story, and they would give them all enough bang-for-their-buck of a lightshow to last them a lifetime. For this 30 mile radius of protection, she only snapped her fingers; and that was just for the fun of it.

X

Everybody got out of their cars and waited as Amelia walked back towards them. Fourteen. Twice seven. If seven was considered a symbol of perfection, fourteen was perfection doubled. There were fourteen of them here to help seal the portals out of Purgatory. Lee and Krissy Chambers, Haley's brothers, Tom and Ben Collins, Matt and Larry Pike, Melanie Golden, the woman Sam knew in college, Rebecca Warren, and Jenny Cooper and her children, Sari and Ritchie had all come to help. Along with Cassie, Charlie and Missouri, there were fourteen. The goddess smiled broadly at the waiting group. Freeing Dean only needed two, well, three if you counted Apsu.

The goddess could feel the tension, and that at least a few of them were trying to hide something. Charlie and Missouri looked at Cassie, who Amelia now noticed was holding a rather large box. She cleared her throat and stepped away from the rest of the group. "Amelia." She turned and looked at Sam, who tried very hard to look stoic, but his lips twitched up into a grin. Cassie cleared her throat again. "Mother Nature. We know you don't need it; but we thought you might want to look nice tonight." She held out the box to the goddess.

"What?" She sensed this was what they had been trying to hide. What she didn't know was how she hadn't been able to see this. In fact, she still couldn't sense what was in the box. She noticed Missouri had a grin on her face; and Missouri did not grin.

"Hypnotic suggestion, we erased all their memories of this." The psychic said when Amelia had squinted at her. "It isn't easy to surprise Mother Nature."

Amelia took off the lid of the box. She reached in and lifted out beautiful, simply-cut dress. No, gown, was a better description; it had several shades of blues and greens in layers of soft, sheer material. It was like looking at a field of grass and a serenely flowing river melding into each other. The goddess stared at the dress; it was the most perfect gown she had ever had.

"Here, this goes with it." Charlie said as she also stepped up next to Amelia. She pulled out a wreath of flowers, woven into a diadem.

It was hard to surprise her. Mother Nature was deeply touched by these gifts; and that they had worked so hard to keep it a secret. She draped the dress over her arm, grabbed Cassie and Charlie's hands. "Come, help me change." And the three women quickly went behind the Tahoe.

A couple minutes later, Cassie and Charlie stepped out from behind the SUV. Everybody turned to watch as Mother Nature walked into view. And it wasn't Amelia that walked toward the group; it was plain to everybody that this was the embodiment of the ancient goddess know as Mother Nature. Sam recognized the gently-glowing aura radiating from her; she wasn't displaying her power, she was just happy, really happy.

"Thank you all, so much." She said when she got back and stood surrounded by the group.

"It was Jody's idea." Sam volunteered. She shook her head at him, as she took a couple steps and reached up kissed him. 'You are a really bad liar.' She whispered into his mind. "Thank you." And she kissed him again.

"We still have plenty of time. Does anybody have questions about what they're supposed to do or what is going to happen?" Amelia asked after turning away from Sam.

They all looked at each other. The goddess could hear their questions, but didn't want to make them feel intruded upon, if she could avoid it.

"Is it going to hurt?" Ritchie Cooper finally asked; cringing thinking everybody would think he was 'being a baby'.

The goddess came over and knelt down in front of the youngest member of the group. She took his hands in hers, her touch instantly calming the boy. "Did that hurt?"

"No. That just felt like my socks, when mom forgets to put fabric softner in the dryer." She smiled. Almost all of them let of a sigh of release, or giggled, because they had all wanted to ask the question.

She leaned next to Ritchie's ear and whispered. "And remember; you're not a baby if you're brave enough to ask the question."

"Okay, this part is going to a little tricky." She said as she stood back up, smiling. "To make the circle, you're going to form around Sam and me, as strong as possible, I would like you to be arranged in reverse chronologic order." The chorus of 'huhs' told her she needed to elaborate. "Youngest to oldest. Well, second oldest; since I have you all beat by at least 50,000 years." She looked at the group; a few had slight grins but nobody laughed. "Okay, Sam. I guess you were right; I can't tell a joke."

Charlie was put in charge of asking for birthdays and organizing the information. Sam pulled Amelia aside while the group exchanged information. "I don't remember you telling me about needing this?"

She turned away to make sure no one could overhear her. "I don't, but it _might_ strengthen the vortex I'm going to create. Mostly, I wanted to give them something to do, so they don't get nervous waiting." She smiled and winked at him. "And, I AM FUNNY. You humans just don't get my sense of humor." She kissed him on the cheek and walked over to check on the progress of figuring out who was older than whom.

Sam watched in fascination as the group broke up into smaller groups. The kids all seemed to migrate together. Krissy and Sari were almost the same age, and girlish giggling quickly ensued. Other than Missouri, and of course Amelia, most of the women were in the 30s or 40s. The men, being greatly outnumbered, herded together. If he didn't know better, Sam could have sworn he was looking at a suburban backyard gathering. Not that he had any actual experience with those; he was basing it off years of sitcoms and old movies he'd seen on TV.

He used the time to look for their desired location; slipping off to wander around inside the cemetery. He thought it might be better if he faced the past now, rather than the last minute. He could only vaguely see it in the memories from that afternoon. Nothing looked familiar to him. He guessed three years of decay and weed growth might make it hard for him to recognize the spot. He gave up after 30 minutes, and looked up to the night sky. He wasn't sure if he was going to pray to a God he was having a really hard believing in, hoping he still gave a crap; or, if he was just looking to see if he could spot Venus among all the million twinkling dots?

"They're both there, Sam." Missouri said as she stepped up next to him.

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A.N. Hope you don't mind a couple chapters this week; I really want to be done before the SPN Finale next week. Considering I started last July with the intention of being done before the start of Season 8; I'm still pretty amazed it took me almost a year and 150 pages to tell my first fanfiction. And, it turns out I still need two more chapters to finish; and probably a big, old honkin' epilogue sometime this summer.

In case you can't tell, _Swan Song_ is probably my favorite episode, and Season 5 my favorite season; although this year has been so fabulous, its running a close second.

Long as I'm rambling, I should probably restate "no copyright infringement' was ever intended. I used the brilliant writing and characters of Eric Kripke and all the other writers of Supernatural solely for personal enjoyment. And, I hope yours.


	65. Chapter 65

It was almost 3:30 AM.

In approximately five minutes he and Mother Nature would break into Purgatory and bring Dean home. Everybody and everything was in place. The goddess had easily found the spot they were going to use; and it still didn't look any different than the rest of the cemetery to Sam. She had also pointed out Venus in the night sky, so everybody could look toward the planet during the ritual.

Cassie had helped carry the Thermos bottles, since she was the only other one of _the seven_ present. She had joined her place in the circle of fourteen sitting about twenty feet back from where he and the goddess stood.

It was about 3:30 AM. That's what Mother Nature had just said. They had to take her word for it, since she had told everybody to remove everything but their clothes; no watches, phones or cameras, no metals and no wallets. A couple of people had wondered about that, but she had explained the magnetic strips on the ATM and credit cards needed to be outside the circle. She'd also had them remove their shoes and socks, so they could make contact with the planet.

Sam been no exception; except for the part about metal; because, of course, he had needed to keep the amulet around his neck. The goddess had helped him take off his shirt, so the amulet could be in contact with his skin. She thanked him again for the dress; because he had made sure Jody got an all cotton dress, so that she could wear the natural fabric during the ritual.

It was a minute or two after 3:30. Mother Nature nodded to Sam and he started reciting the incantation. She bent over and picked up the first Thermos, and opened Cassie's bottle. Sam held the amulet out, and the goddess poured the few drops of blood onto the small metal face. Sam could feel the amulet start to vibrate and hum. Mother Nature repeated the process with five more of the bottles; with him repeating the incantation with each fluid. Sam assumed she had done them in a particular order, but he couldn't remember the significance of them right now.

Apsu was now vibrating so violently, Sam had to struggle to control the amulet. Amelia had nearly missed getting Haley's breast milk on the amulet because it had suddenly almost jolted out of his hands. The trapped god was also now doing a lot more than humming. With each fluid and recitation, Sam could more clearly hear what Apsu was saying. The words were in a different language, Sam assumed Sumerian; but it was clear he was also reciting the incantation

It was 3:34 AM on the morning of July Twelfth, 2012. Mother Nature picked up and opened his, the last, bottle. She wrapped one of her hands around his, her grip was slightly painful but her strength kept his hands steady. She nodded at him again and tipped up the Thermos over the amulet. As the first drop landed on the metal, they started reciting the incantation in unison. It was 3:35 AM.

X

He couldn't say if the sudden shaft of light came down from Venus, up from the hole in the ground that had appeared between his and Mother Nature's feet; or if it started in his hands, coming out the amulet. Sam didn't really care where it came from, as long as his brother was standing next to him before it disappeared.

He wondered why his hands weren't being incinerated; because he could feel the heat on his chest and face that the beam was generating and see the grass scorching around the edge of the hole. Sam felt something pass through his fingers, travelling down the beam of the purest, whitest light he had ever seen. He looked at the Goddess, at Mother Nature. Even he couldn't think of her as Amelia like this.

Before he could ask her if what he had felt was Apsu going to get Dean; the beam was gone. 'NOOOOOOOOO." Sam screamed as he looked down. The beam was gone, but there was still light coming from the hole; it was pulsating, no, it was more erratic, like something was struggling within the hole. Without even thinking about it, Sam dropped to his belly and shoved his hands down into the hole. He felt a hand grab one of his wrists, he clasped his fingers around the arm attached to that hand and he pulled.

He brought his other hand up and sunk it into the soil around the hole; trying to get leverage. He managed to pull them up a few inches; every muscle in his body screaming from the exertion. The weight suddenly shifted and he felt the hand lose its grip. He dropped back down and almost dove into the hole, when he felt two hands grip his. But, there was also twice as much weight, and he no longer had an anchoring grip on the edge of the hole. He felt himself slipping, being pulled down into the light.

In the next second, he was sure he had died, but that he was headed to heaven this time. He felt the soft arms of his lover slip around his chest; much like they had a few hours ago in the garage. Wait, this wasn't quite the loving embrace he had been expecting. He felt the arms squeeze his chest until he couldn't breathe. That's when noticed he was being pulled up and out of the hole.

As Sam's vision was starting to blur from lack of oxygen he saw two faces emerge from the hole and the light. DEAN! He didn't have enough air in his lungs to scream his brother's name. And, there was Castiel, with Dean's other hand wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly. He felt all three of them drop to the ground, and he gasped as his lungs suddenly filled with air again. Just before he let the darkness take him, he saw Amelia look down into his face and smile.

It was 3:36 AM on July Twelfth, 2012.

X

"Sammy? Sam, come on, that's enough of a nap; time to wake up." Now he was sure he was heaven, he and Dean had gone there together. 'Oh crap. We're dead and he's still calling me Sammy.' Except, he didn't think even Dean would get to slap his face in heaven. Oh God, his whole body hurt. 'I didn't think there was any pain in heaven?'

'Sam, honey. You're not dead; you're just unconscious. But if you don't wake up, NOW, and deal with your brother; _he_ may be dead by the time you do.' Amelia's voice reached into his foggy mind; her aggravation penetrating even his battered and oxygen deprived brain. He cracked open an eye and saw streaks of sunlight, then got brave and opened the other eye.

He gasped, when his field of vision was suddenly filled with his brother's smirking face. "Hey ya, Sammy!"

"Dean?" He rasped out, even as he felt his brother grab his hand and help him to get up. "DEAN." And Sam reached out and pulled his brother into a hug. After a couple of seconds, Sam started sniffing, and then pushed his brother away. "Holy crap, you stink."

"Yeah? You try finding a shower or a bar of soap in Purgatory. At least I'm not lying on the ground, in a cemetery, half-naked. Why are you half-naked?" Dean paused, and stared at Sam's chest. "Is that my necklace? How did that get here? And what the hell is that all over it?" The teasing banter, the only way they'd ever really learned to let the other know they were okay, being over, and Sam unable to keep track of all his brother's questions; he pulled him into another tight hug.

This time when Sam pulled away, he looked around. He noticed all the cars but the Tahoe were gone; and then it dawned on him, he was standing outside the cemetery, near where they had parked the cars. And, it was rapidly getting light; that dawn was fully upon them. "Crap. I must have been out a long time." He quickly scanned again. "Where's Amelia?"

"I'm here, Sam." Her voice called out and then she stepped from behind the car. She was once again wearing the outfit she had worn when she left Missouri's house. As she approached Sam and Dean, she scowled at Dean, raising and pointing a finger at him. "I told you, one more word and I'll drop you back in that hole we pulled you out of."

"What? I didn't say anything. Where did you find her, Sam? Did you know she's a psychic, or something? Do you know what she did to me?" Dean said as he ducked behind his brother, as Amelia reached out, but only to hand Sam his shirt.

"I told you, I didn't do anything. He got you out of Purgatory; he just wanted to use the body to say good-bye." She rolled her eyes for emphasis.

"Possessed. Sam, she let me be possessed; and then _it_ used me to flirt with your girl." Dean mockingly ranted.

Sam didn't quite hear all of what his brother was saying; because Amelia was giving her side of the story telepathically. 'It's how Apsu got you brother out of Purgatory, possessing his body. He just stayed in Dean for a little longer to thank me for setting him free.' To Dean she said, "Listen, you…, you…; he risked it all to go back for your angel friend. "

"Hey. He was in control of the meatsuit, he's the one that almost dropped Cas."

"Cas?" It suddenly occurred to Sam he hadn't seen Castiel yet. "Dean, where is Cas?

"I don't know. He got one look at her and took off." Dean replied while hooking his thumb in her direction.

"You didn't tell him?" Sam asked, as he noticed he still hadn't put on his shirt she had given him.

"He's your brother. I figured you'd know the best way to tell him."

"Tell me what?" Dean had already figured out Sam was in love with the girl, from the way his brother's face had changed when she had come into view a minute ago. He'd also known she was in love with Sam, long before he'd slapped his little brother awake. And, despite knowing she wasn't quite as human as he'd like; he could sense she meant him no harm.

He was also still trying to figure out why whatever it was that had possessed him had seemed so familiar, kind of like an old friend who knew everything about him. He shook his head, trying to clear the creepy feeling he'd had when he suddenly awoke kissing a strange girl, and that for a split second, she had also felt so familiar.

Dean heard it first, but then Sam heard the rumble of the Impala's engine, as it came into sight. Sam looked at Amelia. She smiled and answered his silent question. "I thought maybe you two should take a drive, and you can tell him what we've been up to."

Dean had been watching _his baby_ approach, wondering who was behind the wheel. But he quickly turned back to the younger pair. "TMI! I so do not want to know what you two have _been up to."_

"I'm assuming you mean besides saving your ass." Sam snarked, just as Garth put the classic Chevy in park and turned off the ignition.

"Well, it's nice to see the Winchesters back together." Garth said as he tossed the keys to Dean. He nodded and smiled at the goddess. "Amelia, you are looking lovely, as always."

"Thank you, Garth. And thanks for bringing Dean his car." She walked up to Sam and kissed his cheek. "I'll wait for you at Missouri's." She turned back to Garth. "Think you can drive something other than a boat, and get me back to Missouri's house?"

She couldn't help but return some of the shit Dean had been giving her; after what he'd put her through since Apsu had left his body. She should have known her ex-consort would try to get the last word. He had departed Dean's body while they were embraced in a good-bye kiss; so Dean regained consciousness 'sucking face' with her. He had proceeded to behave very badly, in her opinion. And when he recognized where they were and saw Sam lying on the ground unconscious, he became totally unreasonable. It didn't matter that she had already checked on him, and that he was going to be fine.

She had sent him to sleep for a while; she was kind of busy; sealing the portals out Purgatory and all. Of course she'd known most of Dean's blustering and bitching had been because he had been confused and concerned for Sam. Watching her create the vortex, controlling the amount of raw energy she had used to close those seals, would only have added to his confusion. Or, maybe lead him to try and 'gank' her.

She'd also put the fourteen into deep trances; she didn't think they would have ever recovered from the shock of seeing her exercise her ultimate power. And waking and seeing the sleeping, although he had assumed dead, bodies of fourteen people, had only made Dean more agitated.

Sam watched Garth and Amelia climb into the car, and the Tahoe head back the way Garth had just come. Dean had wanted to protest the way she had talked about his beloved car, but Sam had put a restraining hand on his arm; so Dean just watched his brother, as Sam watched the girl leave.

"So. Where to Sam?" Dean asked as he started for his car.

"Dean. We really need to talk."

X

"So? You do know, you may have put us out-of-business, Hunters, that is?" Garth asked after they were are on the road back to Lawrence; after several quiet and uncomfortable minutes of silence.

Amelia, and that was who she felt like right now; because the ecstasy from saving the world paled compared to the dread she felt over leaving Sam. She hadn't been ignoring Garth, well, not really. She had been so lost in her own thoughts; she really had forgotten where she was.

The amount of power she had been able to create and use last night had surprised her. In hind sight she should have known; she had felt the embryo attach to Amelia's uterine wall as she was putting on the beautiful gown. But, she hadn't become this strong with the other children her vessels had carried. Of course, they hadn't been conceived with Sam Winchester; or, was it her, was she really that different? _The One_ had implied she was.

She had wanted to run to Sam and tell him the glow of happiness he had recognized had nothing to do with a pretty dress. She hoped she would have time to tell him, before she left. Amelia shook her head, trying to force those thoughts away.

"Garth, I'm sure there's a long list of very bad things out there, enough to keep all of you busy for the rest of your lives." She said as she turned to look at him. "Just so long as you don't include me or Sam on that list." She debated telling Garth about his future; and his essential role in the establishment of an organized and well-coordinated Hunting Society.

"Are you kidding? It will be great to have something like you on our side for a change."

She couldn't believe being called a some_thing_ had stung. But, it occurred to her, Sam hadn't told him, or probably any of them, that she, Mother Nature, wasn't staying. It suddenly occurred to her, she'd be leaving Amelia, the short girl from Spokane, very vulnerable if people thought she was still a goddess. The poor girl would be at risk from rogue hunters and anything else that thought she still had supernatural powers.

Mother Nature now knew she had one more mission before she left; to protect her vessel and her child. "Garth, you do know that I'm not staying? Sometime tonight I'll be leaving this vessel; Amelia Stone will just be a girl from Washington."

The hunter stared at the goddess until the car started to drift to the left, the honk of an oncoming car finally breaking the shock. "Balls!"

X

Sam debated if he should let Dean just drive while he explained all that had happened in the two months; or if they'd end up wrapped around a pole or in a ditch as Dean reacted to some of the things he was going to tell him. He knew he didn't want to have the conversation here, because this place was even more painful for his brother than it was for him.

"You must be starving, why don't we find someplace to get you a good breakfast?" He said as he climbed into the passenger seat of the Impala. "Just make sure they have take-out." He added as his brother's smell reached him in the enclosed car.

Dean quickly flipped him off and then quickly drove away from Stull Cemetery, seriously hoping it was the last time he'd ever be there. When he got to the road, he debated which way to turn. He wanted to head west just as fast as they could, and get away from Lawrence; another place he would be okay never seeing again. He looked at Sam, thought about how he had looked watching that girl, or whatever she was, leave; and he knew his brother had unfinished business, and that she was waiting for him to the east, at Missouri's house. Hell, this was northeast Kansas, he'd find a barbeque place that opened early and let his brother tell him how he'd fallen for yet another supernatural chick.

X

Amelia found Missouri was home alone. Everybody had been so exhausted, despite the naps Mother Nature had induced; they'd all gone to motels to clean-up and sleep. Jenny had invited the Chambers to stay with them since Sari and Krissy had already become fast friends; it didn't hurt that Lee was a decent man and attractive widower.

Missouri told her they all planned to be back by mid-afternoon; and they'd all bring food and have a potluck before they all went their separate ways. Missouri said she'd just been waiting until the goddess got there, and headed off to her room to get some sleep before her home was invaded one more time. She stopped and gave Mother Nature a hug. "Thank you, for everything. And I'll help Sam, and Dean, protect both of them until the day I die."

Still not being used to the psychic reading her thoughts so easily, a tear sprang to her eye. "I know you will." As Missouri walked down the hall, the goddess asked her a question. "Is Missouri your real name?"

The psychic turned and gave Amelia a questioning look. "Of course."

Both women smiled knowing it was a lie. "That's funny. I see the first grand-daughter being named Mabel, after a most trusted friend. Who's there for the birth, by the way."

Missouri closed her door and smiled. She had never been able to see her own future, but the goddess had just told her of a long and happy life, as part of Sam's extended family. She lay down, exhausted and happier than she had been in a long time.

X

Dean found a picnic bench, isolated enough no one could smell him, or hear what Sam had to say. They ate in silence, other than Sam asking to switch places so he was upwind. Both had a million questions, and yet, both were afraid of the answers they might get.

Dean ate the last bite of the only decent food he'd had in almost two months. "Okay, tell me."


	66. Chapter 66

The Goodbye Girl

Dean finally brought Sam back to Missouri's around noon. He had listened to Sam bring him up-to-date on the status of the Leviathans; how he figured out he had to be in Purgatory, and then his searching in vain for him. He had asked Dean to tell him about it, but Dean had told him there would be plenty of time for that later; and to get to 'the girl'.

Sam told him about how she had just suddenly appeared at the exact moment Dean had disappeared, and the month long search to find her. "Sam, just get to the part about who, or what, she really is!" Dean finally said, knowing his brother well enough to know when he was stalling.

Sam already knew Dean had figured out how he felt about her. It irritated him no end that Dean could still read him like a book. He debated how to tell him the rest. "Mother Nature." Was all he said.

They just stared at each other as Dean absorbed what his brother had just said. He briefly thought about their history of dealing with 'Gods', and his brother's tract record of sleeping with supernatural beings. But he also knew there was more; he could read his little brother like a book. "And?"

"And? Well, there's that she's leaving her vessel sometime later her today." Sam paused, and decided it was best to just tell him. "Oh yeah. And, you're going to be an uncle."

X

Charlie, Jody and Cassie had already arrived to help set-up for the gathering. All of them were thrilled to see Dean again; because they had only seen him for a minute this morning before the second ritual; and then again after they woke. But, he had been so pre-occupied with Sam by then; and they all knew better than to come between Dean and Sam. They had all decided to greet him when he was calmer.

Now, Cassie led the charge to run and embrace him. She stopped short as the smell reached her just before she was going to throw her arms around him. Missouri stood on the back porch. "You are NOT coming into my house like that. You leave those clothes out here, so we can burn them, and then come in and shower."

Sam looked for Amelia while Dean was being greeted fondly by friends and a cranky psychic. He could almost feel their minutes ticking away. He noticed Missouri nod her head towards the window of the room he had shared with Amelia, and tried to slip away. Now that his brother knew everything; Dean made a big enough scene to let Sam get away from their friends. Nothing would ever stop him from trying to help out his little brother; that was and always would be his job.

Sam went through the deserted house to what he now considered their bedroom; and opened and closed the door, locking it as quietly as he could. Amelia was stretched out on the bed, seemingly asleep. He doubted she was, there were still moist tear tracks on her cheeks.

"Are you and Dean okay?" She said with her eyes still closed; but then sat part way up and leaned on her elbows. She had asked; but she already knew Sam had told his brother what they had been through together; and that Dean was "on board" with whatever Sam needed from him. The goddess hadn't meant to see his thoughts, trying for a little_ normalcy_ in their last few hours. But, it was like his mind was now an extension of hers, the connection so strong; it no longer could be broken.

"Yeah. We're good." He said as came and sat down on the edge of the bed. She lay back down and let him wipe at her tears. "But, you already knew that, didn't you?"

"You hunters think you're so clever." She teased. "Or, is it a Winchester thing?"

"Nature versus nuture, it's hard to know; since we were raised as Hunters."

As he bent over to kiss at her tear tracks, she said. "Sam. I know you loved your father, but I don't think nurturing had much to do with your childhood." He raised his head and was going to defend his dad, but before he could, she added. "Please, just promise me you won't raise this girl like that." And she put one hand on her abdomen.

He just bent down and kissed her. He figured he didn't need to say he'd spend his whole life protecting both the child, and the mother; and if she hadn't already seen that in his future, then there was something seriously wrong with her visions.

She pushed him up. "I _do_ know both you, and Dean, and all your friends, will protect them. There's nothing wrong with my visions." She stopped long enough to look into his eyes, before she whispered. "I just needed to hear it out loud."

Sam climbed into bed and enveloped her in his arms. "Missouri will skin you alive, if you soil her bedspread with your shoes." She teased him again.

"Maybe. But, it will be worth it."

Mother Nature got as close as possible to him. She'd seen that Dean had accepted the, now vacant, amulet when Sam had asked his brother if he wanted it back; but as she put her head against his chest, it felt strangely empty without the little piece of metal.

X

By 3 PM everyone had returned to Missouri's house. Tables full of food were set up in the back yard, and since there were Hunters present, there were at least a couple of chests of cold beer. Dean and the few others who knew Mother Nature could be leaving at anytime, tried to deflect anyone who asked about Sam or Amelia.

Mother Nature put on the dress again, and Sam placed the wreath of flowers on her head. They took deep breaths and left their small sanctuary to face the crowd. They met Jody in the hall

The sheriff embraced Amelia. "You did good." As she let the young woman go, she turned to Sam. "You both did."

The goddess saw that Dean had told her she was leaving; and that the sheriff would also be part of the extended Winchester family. It occurred to her, that was the best gift she was leaving Sam and Dean; a family bigger than just the two of them.

Jody led the pair through the house; meeting and greeting a few members of the cadre that had helped them rescue Dean. They made their way to the backyard, and a chorus of "Sam" and "Amelia" rang out from the happy crowd. They both smiled and joined the party; but never let more than a few feet separate them.

Most of the hunters were unused to partying with 'civilians', not to mention having a powerful goddess in attendance. But in short time, they were sharing experiences and stories. Cassie and Charlie, in particular, paid rapt attention. By the time the crowd started thinning out; both women had almost doubled their contacts and sources for the projects they were working on.

Mother Nature was the first to notice the weather rapidly changing. As the temperature dropped and a storm seemed to be building, people used it as an excuse to leave. By the time the wind kicked up, only the core group of Jody, Missouri, Cassie, Charlie and Garth remained at the house with the Winchesters and Mother Nature.

Dean and Sam tried to get them all to leave, even Missouri. They tried to convince them they shouldn't take the risk. Missouri outright told them 'it's my house, I'm not going anywhere'. The others didn't have the same argument, but made it just as clear they weren't leaving. So, Sam and Dean had tried to load Amelia in their cars and leave. They found neither the Impala or Tahoe would start. They were driven back into the house by the torrential rain.

They all knew what was going to happen; but, nobody knew exactly how or when they'd lose their friend. What they didn't know, was that this was new territory for the goddess; usually she just left without saying, needing or wanting any good-byes. She didn't tend to make a lot of friends. She actually wished _The One_ would just get it over with; this way was so much harder.

Just sitting around waiting for it to happen was totally unacceptable to Dean. He was going to be an uncle, and maybe that wouldn't change after Mother Nature left this vessel; but his brother was in love her, the goddess; and he wasn't going to let his brother lose another woman; not if he could help it. He tried to get Garth and Cassie, since she now knew so much about the supernatural, to help him find a way "to stop this". To make matters even worse; Sam and Amelia, and Missouri, seemed so resigned to this, and it drove him freakin' crazy.

The storm hit the house almost violently, shaking it with wind and bombarding it with rain. There was a blinding flash of lightning and an ear-splitting crack of thunder; and the lights went out. When they came back on a few seconds later, Amelia was gone. They all stared at the spot where she had just been. None of them had known what to expect; but this, this wasn't what they had expected.

While they were all still in shock, there was a knock on the door. Missouri wondered why another neighbor would come by in this weather to complain about all the noise earlier in the day, and sighed as she got up to answer the door. The psychic didn't notice the way Sam stared toward the door, but Dean noticed the sudden tension in his brother.

"Yes?" Missouri asked when she opened the door to a short, nearly drowned, white man with a scruffy beard.

X

"CHUCK?" Dean said as Missouri stepped aside to let the man into the foyer.

"Of course not." He said as he shook once and was instantly clean and dry. "I just thought you might be more comfortable if I took a shape you recognized. " He said to Dean.

"You're _The One_?" Sam asked.

"What is it with you humans and titles? I just am. Well, not this." And he pointed to himself. "Although, I did have a good time slipping Mr. Shurley the visions of your adventures."

"I thought that was God?" Dean asked.

"Again, with the titles." He replied.

"Where's Amelia?" Sam said taking a step forward, Dean instantly right next to him.

"I think you mean Mother Nature. But, both are correct in this case. They're having a chat. One of them will be back soon enough." He said as he sat down, and then indicated everybody should sit down again. "I wanted to meet the man that finally awoke her heart."

"What?"

"Okay. Would you all please sit down?" And he waited until the Winchesters, and Missouri, sat back down. The others had been sitting and staring in shock at the small man who was basically claiming to be God. _Chuck_ smiled at each of them as the others found seats. "Good. Now, I'm going to tell you all a story; you want the long or short version?"

"Oh my God. Why is it you all like to hear your own voices so much?" Dean groaned.

"Dean. It is a very good thing I like you." He said, the threat being openly implied. "Now, shut up and listen."

Dean opened his mouth, but closed it without saying anything. The rest of them not sure if he finally learned discretion; or if there were another reason he kept quiet.

"Mother Nature, " and he looked around the room, to make sure everyone was listening, "you know that's too cumbersome. I'll call her Amelia, since that's what you've been calling her. Anyway, Amelia isn't the first goddess I created, and this planet isn't the first one I've chosen to _enhance_." He stopped, and looked at both Winchesters. "Save your questions until the end, please.

I think Amelia is the…, oh I've lost track of how many there were before her. Anyway, do you know how I created her?" He turned to Jody, sitting just to his right, and asked. She just shook her head. "She was an acolyte in a cult, basically like the young Amelia _Stone_ is, but to the previous goddess, on the previous planet I gave a little kick-start. When the last goddess found her heart, she asked her vessel if she could stay, and your Amelia took her place.

So, that's where your goddess is now. Your Amelia is talking to the other Amelia…I'll call her Miss Stone, to see who comes with me when I go pick out my next project, and who stays here."

He reached for Garth's beer sitting on the coffee table in front of him. "May I?" Garth just nodded his head in stunned silence. After taking a long swallow of the cold beer, he smiled. "Now, where was I? Oh yeah, I thought she, your Amelia, was almost ready a few thousand years ago; and I brought her and Apsu together. Who knew the fool would think killing her kids would win her heart." He took another sip of Garth's beer. "Then, I watched two brothers stop the angel's pissing match; and I knew one of you would be just what she was waiting for.

Oops. You'll have to excuse me; they're waiting for me." And there was another flash of lightning and he was gone. They all just stared at the empty chair.

"Dick!" Dean swore, just because found he could. He looked down at his brother, not surprised to find Sam sitting there in a state of shock.

"The prick took my beer." Garth said as he headed to the kitchen to get another beer.

X

Mother Nature thought she had been blinded by the light of the flash. But almost instantly realized her vision was different because she was no longer corporeal, she was back in the void. Except, it wasn't exactly the void, and she wasn't alone. She seemed to be sitting on a warm, sandy beach and Amelia Stone was right there next to her.

"Are you ready?" The young woman asked the goddess.

"Ready for what?"

"Ready to decide." _The One, _still in the shape of the former prophet, asked as he joined them.

"Decide? Decide what?"

"My bad, I forgot to show you." He said and wished this illusion could take another sip of Garth's beer.

Mother Nature gasped as memories of a life she had forgotten thousands, or maybe millions of years ago came back to her. She could see a small planet, similar to this one, and family and a sisterhood she had been completely devoted to. She remembered willingly giving her body to another goddess, the one she had worshipped all her life; that goddess had asked to stay on her planet because she had found her heart.

Her essence had traded places with the goddess and awoke in the void. Then she had been given her 'pretty little blue-green rock' and spent an eternity occupying vessels and helping it grow. And now she, Mother Nature, Terra, Gaia, Isis, Demeter, Tiamat had found her heart, her faith; and they lived on this planet in the form of a tall Hunter named Sam Winchester.

"Your final test; was, of course, that you refused to "take" the vessel; that you honored your commitment to her above your own happiness. But, Amelia Stone is ready to take her place, to help me start life on a different planet, to be another Mother Nature. But, it is your choice. If you stay, you will take her human form; but you will have no powers, you will feel pain, you will grow old and die."

"But, all the visions I saw of Amelia and Sam?" Mother Nature asked.

"Look again." And he took advantage of having a form, even if it wasn't real, and rolled his eyes.

She saw the long and happy life she had seen for Sam and Amelia, only this time she saw herself looking out through the young woman's eyes. She looked at the young woman. "Are you sure you don't want that life?"

"Goddess, I am used to being alone. I would not be happy with Sam, well, other than sexually. He really does seem to fit my body perfectly." She whispered to the goddess.

"Amelia, focus here." _The One_ scolded.

"Yes, of course." She said but winked at the goddess. "I could not make him happy; but I would try, if that is what you want." She turned to the One. "I would like to see another planet, and think that I would be as good a mother there as she has been here."

X

Garth had almost reached the door of the kitchen, to replace his beer, when there was another explosive flash of light and window-rattling peel of thunder, and the house was put into total blackness. Nobody moved waiting for the lights to come back on, expecting Amelia or Amelia Stone to be there when they did. Then the lights were back on, and neither was there.

For the second time in less than 24 hours, Sam was screaming 'NO'. Dean was only a half a step behind as Sam leapt up to search …

There was a knock on the door. Sam changed direction and raced to the door and threw it open. She was there, soaking wet, her blue-green gown clinging to her body, her hair plastered to her face. Sam stared, did he pull her into his arms, or did he introduce himself?

"The prick sent me back through the rain." And she threw herself into Sam's arms and kissed him until they both gasped for breath when she finally let him go.

"I think Missouri is going to skin you alive for getting her rug so wet." Sam said as he rested his forehead on hers, catching his breath.

"Maybe. But this is worth it."

xxxXXXxxx


	67. Chapter 67

A.N. So, major oops. I got prologue and epilogue mixed up. Reposting. Sorry if it confused anybody else.

Author's Note: _Another Mother_ is complete. Yeah! I made it before the Season finale. But I have a small series of _Epilogues_, or a small series of Sequels, your choice on what to call them. Again, for the record no copyright infringement intended.

Nine minutes

Dean had been on his brother's heel when he had opened the door and found her there. The severe lip-lock that had followed answered any question he had of which Amelia had come back. He had acted as a shield; keeping the others out of the foyer for as long as he could. It hadn't really been hard for the first few minutes; they all knew the lovers needed a minute to reunite.

"Oh My God!" Missouri cried when she finally pushed Dean aside, and looked into her hallway. "Go get that wet dress off. And you two," and she pointed at Sam and Dean, "lay something down to soak up all that water."

Amelia just stared at the psychic. She couldn't hear her thoughts, at all. She had no idea if Missouri was really that upset about a rug, or was just being 'blustery'; she hoped the second, but started off down the hall toward their room.

Jody, Cassie and Charlie joined her; well, took her was more accurate. The, now ex, goddess just staring at everyone; everything they said coming as a surprise. As the women helped her get her wet dress off, her body shook uncontrollably. She was cold, a new and unwelcome sensation; and she noticed her stomach ached just as it rumbled loudly.

"Did you eat anything this afternoon?" Jody asked. Amelia shook her head. "And you didn't anything last night. Okay. Ladies, we need to get her some food." She added, employing what they all recognized as her 'mom' voice. Jody quickly rummaged through Sam's bags and found a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. The younger women helped her into the warm but gigantic clothes. After a minute of rolling up sleeves and hems, Amelia was starting to feel some warmth, and could walk without tripping over her attire.

She watched the faces of the women helping her, trying to get a sense of what was going through their minds; she was going to have to learn to read body-language and facial expression, like humans did. That was when it hit her. SHE WAS HUMAN! She was cold, hungry and cut off from other's minds. As her friends led her back to the kitchen, she stubbed her toe on the doorframe; and cried out in pain.

As she fell to the floor and grabbed her throbbing toe, tears came springing from her eyes. 'I can't do this! I've only been human for nine minutes, and I'm on the floor sobbing. What have I done? ' She looked up as Sam reached her, having heard her cry out.

He was on the floor and wrapping his arms around her. "Amelia, what happened?"

"I stubbed my toe!" She wailed. "It hurts. And I'm cold, and hungry." She paused as she sobbed into his, still wet from their embrace, shirt. "Sam, I've never been any of those things before!"

Sam looked over her shoulder and saw Dean watching him, with a huge grin on his face. Sam wondered how his brother could find amusement in Amelia's discomfort; but then he remembered what Dean had gone through when Cas had lost his powers, and how exasperated his brother had been.


	68. Chapter 68

Nine hours

Sam made Amelia go to bed, as soon as she finished getting some warm food into her. The others hadn't been terribly hungry, after the party that afternoon; although Dean had consumed as much as the starving ex-goddess, but he was still catching up after a month in Purgatory. They all sat in the kitchen, talking and laughing; asking Amelia what it felt like to be human. Amelia asked a lot of questions of her own; because despite being 'older than dirt' as Sam had put it the day they met, she knew so very little about how to be human.

Sam had ushered her to bed, telling her there would be time for that in the morning. Her first lesson in being human was to take care of her body; because it was the last one she was going to get and it needed to last a lifetime. Mortality was another new concept, a frightening one. And she again started to cry; she was scared and could no longer see the future. Then Sam had climbed into bed with her, wrapped his arms around; and she remembered why she had made her decision; and she was no longer afraid.

The storm had started to ease the moment Amelia had come into Missouri's house. The women had gone to their respective motels after Amelia had gone to bed, but Garth stayed and talked to Dean. He had brought Dean up to speed on the network he was building with Charlie's help. When he mentioned what Tim, Roy and Walt had attempted to do to Sam and Amelia, Dean had stoically sat and listened; but Garth knew better than to assume the three of them wouldn't be paying for messing with Dean Winchester's little brother, again.

By two in the morning, Dean had the house to himself; Missouri had gone to bed shortly after Jody, Cassie and Charlie had taken off. He wandered around the old house, grabbing another beer and sat down on the soft over-stuffed chair. It hadn't been quite the home-coming he would have expected; but he was warm, dry, full and safe. He wondered where Cas had taken off to, he wondered if Sam would want to settle down with Amelia, and the baby, he thought about how great Cassie looked, and a couple thousand more questions he had; until he fell asleep in the chair.

Sam got up around Three AM, and just as he had expected, Dean was asleep in a chair in the living room. He didn't know how he could be comfortable, but after the last two months; he guessed it might the most comfortable he'd been in a long time. He took off his boots and put his feet up on the ottoman, and then covered him with a blanket. He huffed out a breath; only Dean could get out of Purgatory and in just under 24 hours have faced a crowd of mostly strangers with his best 'game face', and then threatened _the One_; all the while looking out for his baby brother.

He went back to bed and slipped in next to the woman, and he could now call her that without any reservation, the woman who had chosen him over immortality and godly powers. She curled into him, he thought still asleep. She wasn't, and it turned out she wanted to find out if their physical compatibility had survived her transformation. Later, as they were catching their breaths, she told him what Amelia Stone had said. She said she agreed completely, but Sam thought they should test it again, 'just to make sure'.

When the two of them dragged themselves into the kitchen around 8 AM; they were met with Dean's smirk and Missouri's glare. "Holy crap, Sam. The poor girl has only been human for," and he looked at the clock, "nine hours and you're already going at it like bunnies." Missouri's glare was transferred to Dean, which only made him smile bigger. Sam blushed, but only slightly; he knew his brother wouldn't be able to resist commenting on his sex life. He seriously hoped he would get tired of it soon, because he had every intention of making love to Amelia any chance he got.

Amelia had a slightly different reaction. She had calmly poured a cup of coffee, and then turned his brother. "Dean, since you don't strike me as a man who follows animal husbandry; let me tell you about how rabbits mate. They mate often because they can reproduce frequently. However, their preparation usually takes only a few seconds and the actual act of sexual intercourse is usually less than a minute. Your brother, on the other hand, is quite accomplished at foreplay and a tender yet resourceful lover, with great stamina."

She handed Sam the coffee she had poured. "But, if you were referring to the cultural idiom that refers to people who have sex every chance they get, then you partly are correct." Then she turned and got the milk out of the frig. "But, rabbits only do it for procreation. And since I am, as you know, already pregnant, if we were 'doing it like bunnies', we would have no reason to have sex." As she poured the milk into Sam's coffee, she added. "And I can promise you, we will be having sex every chance we get; most likely up to and including the day the baby is born."

She put the milk back and then she headed for the door, winking at Sam as she passed him. "I call first shower."

Dean had been sitting there with his mouth part way open. As he heard the bathroom door close, he turned to Sam. "What a smart ass. Sam. I adore that woman!"

X

Jody was, as usual, the first to show up; shortly after breakfast. Cassie, Charlie and Garth weren't far behind; and by noon, Missouri's house was restored to order. Jody was also the first to take off for home; after getting promises from the Winchesters, and she already considered Amelia as part of that family; that they would keep in touch. Garth and Charlie took off for the base they had started to set up. Cassie hung around, and she and Dean found some time to talk alone.

And, despite Missouri's assurances that they were welcome to stay, they had loaded everything into the Impala and were on the road by mid-afternoon. They left the Tahoe with the psychic, to repay her for all she had done for them. The only real plan they had come up with was to head to the cabin in Whitefish. They'd use the trip to spend some quality time together, and let Dean and Amelia get to know one another. Sam was briefly concerned as they were getting into the car; where would Amelia ride? The old car's bench seat could have probably allowed them all to ride together in the front; but Amelia had climbed into the back seat without any discussion.

She may not be able to read minds anymore, but she didn't need to. She knew her place in this relationship, at least as far as Dean's _baby_ was concerned. Dean drove, Sam rode shotgun and she would ride in the back. She smiled when she saw the relief on Dean and Sam's faces; both must have dreaded she'd want to ride with them, or make Sam choose between them. What they both forgot, you had to be in the backseat to be a 'backseat driver'. She planned on driving them both nuts long before they got out of Kansas.


	69. Chapter 69

Nine days

By the time they had gotten to Denver around midnight, they were all exhausted. Ten hour drives had been nothing for the Winchesters, but Dean was out of practice and Sam thought Amelia still needed to get used to being human. There had been a lengthy discussion about sleeping arrangements. Sharing a room with head-over-heels-in-love Sam and Amelia wasn't something Dean was looking forward to; but he also didn't want to be alone on his second night out of Purgatory. Amelia, again, seemed to come up with a practical solution; they got two adjoining rooms and had the clerk open the dividing door. That way they were all together but had a modicum of privacy.

Crowley and Death had also been major topics of discussion during the first leg of their trip. Dean had again declared his adoration of Amelia when he heard how she had dealt the King of Hell; although he had really wanted to kill that prick himself after how he had screwed them. Since Amelia was no longer on speaking terms with Death, they had no way of knowing if he had released Crowley or not.

But, they all knew it was only a matter of time before some demon came after them again. So, first thing in the morning, they had found a tattoo parlor and Amelia had gotten a tattoo like Sam and Dean's. As badly as it had hurt, she had a much deeper appreciation for all her former acolytes that had had her symbol inked into their bodies. They were back on the road before 10 AM and made it to Billings for a few hours sleep, a shower; then back on the road and reached the cabin before noon the third day.

Dean had started calling for Cas as soon as they were unpacked. It was now six days later; nine days since they had come out of Purgatory together. Sam and Amelia had used most of that time to clean up the basement and convert it into their bedroom, leaving the upstairs loft for Dean.

They had all been surprised to find the former Mother Nature was both a terrible house-keeper, which they guessed wasn't really that surprising, considering her past lives and former powers; but she could hardly boil water without hurting herself. The woman was the biggest klutz in the kitchen they had ever seen. Dean actually broke down and went into Whitefish to get her some boots to protect her feet; he couldn't stand how often she was stubbing a toe or dropping something heavy on her foot.

It was while Dean was away from the cabin that Amelia told Sam what had happened during the ritual, when he had almost lost Dean and Cas. "Apsu told me, the angel had been struggling, resisting Dean bringing him back. He managed to get away, and Dean had been so desperate to get his friend out that he took control from Apsu long enough to grab him again." She looked at Sam. "That was why the beam was broken and you had to dive into the hole to get them."

"Why would Cas not want to get out of Purgatory?"

"He didn't think he was worthy to come back, that I hadn't forgiven him." Dean said from the stairs down to the basement. Sam and Amelia hadn't heard him come back.

"Dean." Sam said in that tone of voice that meant 'sorry', 'we can talk about it' and 'I love you no matter what', all at the same time. It hadn't taken Amelia very long to realize these brothers had their own form of mind-reading and telepathy, and was just as powerful as hers had ever been.

"I need to get… something upstairs." Amelia said, and then she headed up to leave them alone.

"No. Stay. You should hear this too." Dean said as he put his hand on her arm to stop her. "And, I guess I should apologize for blaming his leaving on you, back at the cemetery. I knew he wanted to stay, to keep doing his frickin' penance. But, I couldn't, despite everything he'd done, I couldn't leave him there." He stopped and looked up at his brother. "Sammy, that place…. I just couldn't leave him there."

Sam grabbed his brother in a hug and Dean finally broke down and started telling him about his ordeal. Amelia slipped upstairs and gave them the time alone they hadn't really had since they had been reunited.

As Amelia sat alone upstairs, she thought about being part of family. It reminded her she owed Amelia Stone's mother a phone call. Well, she owed her and the sisterhood a whole lot more than just a phone call; but she needed to let Amelia's mother know _her_ daughter would not be coming home. But, she also made a silent promise to take her daughter to Spokane one day, to meet 'her side of the family'.


	70. Chapter 70

Nine weeks

Despite all their efforts to make the remote cabin into a home for the three of them, it was obvious it wouldn't be suitable for an expectant mother, much less a newborn. Amelia had started puking about a month after they had settled in; and hadn't missed a single morning yet of throwing up as soon as she woke. Dean complained, bitterly, about not needing an alarm clock; that Amelia was more consistent than a rooster. But he was also the one that suggested Amelia needed a better place to 'gestate his niece'.

That was when he had brought up the idea of moving to Sioux Falls, and rebuilding Bobby's house; that his niece needed a real home and a yard and a decent school system. After recovering from the shock, Sam remembered somewhere along the way he had told Dean what Jody had said; that Bobby had left almost everything to them.

Dean and Sam had spent a lot of time talking about their future, since arriving at the cabin. Neither knew if they _wanted _to keep hunting, but both doubted if they could stop cold-turkey. Sam talked about not wanting to leave his child and her mother behind, if something went wrong, like Jo and Ellen Harvelle, when Bill was killed. But, he also felt strongly, he didn't want his brother out there alone.

Having a home base hadn't been possible for their dad; and coming back to a family hadn't worked out for Dean and Lisa. Dean had been the one to point out, they weren't their father; obsessively chasing a demon all over the country, and they weren't the same people they'd been two years ago. He didn't want to lose his brother as his hunting partner; but he didn't want his brother to lose this chance for a home and family.

What Dean didn't tell Sam or Amelia, he had already contacted Jody, and as executor to Bobby's estate she could put his plan into motion. He and Jody had already torn down the old house, after Garth and Charlie had carefully gone through the rubble to collect anything useful to hunting; and Missouri had come up and helped them look for anything with a psychic aura or energy. None of them knew when Bobby had had time to collect everything out of the debris; but the only thing the old man had left in the house was the amulet Sam had stashed in the mantel. Well, except down in the panic room, they found a bottle of very nice whiskey, two glasses and a note. _For Dean and Sam. This is the last time you'll be mooching my booze, ya idjits. Bobby_.

X

Four weeks later, they packed all their gear in the Impala and Tahoe, which Missouri had had Charlie drive out to them. Dean finally got the chance to tease Sam about the SUV, just as Sam had assumed he would. "No wonder you got Amelia pregnant, you were already driving _mom mobile, _it's almost a frickin' minivan". Sam resisted comparing their trip to the Tortoise and the Hare, with Dean racing ahead, only to have the Impala stop for gas twice as often as the Tahoe, until they were checking into their motel rooms in Sheridan, Wyoming that first night.

By the time they rolled into Sioux Falls late on the second day, they went straight to Jody's. If Sam hadn't been so tired, he might have seen the sly smiles Dean and Jody exchanged. He and Amelia had flopped into bed almost as soon their bags were in the house. Again, if he hadn't been so tired, he might have been suspicious that Dean hadn't tried to talk him into 'a beer, at least'; but in fact, he had almost pushed him into the bedroom and closed the door for him.

Sam knew Dean was up to something though, when his brother had already left Jody's house by the time he rolled out of bed; because Dean was not famous for early rising unless they were on a case. He found a cryptic note about taking a look 'at the old place' and for him and Amelia to meet him there. Sam had seen 'the old place' three months ago, the night he met Amelia. Holy crap, had that only been three months ago? So much had happened. Of course, it had only been nine weeks since Dean got out of Purgatory, and Amelia had become human; and look at all that had happened!

For the first time since her morning sickness had started, Amelia didn't throw up when she woke. They both took it as a good omen; they just didn't know if it was because of the change in climate and if she was just done being Dean's alarm clock. She only had a light breakfast, not wanting to push her luck; and they piled into the SUV and drove out to what was left of Singer Salvage.

The first thing Sam noticed was a lot of new cars and pick-ups and people moving about. As they got closer, he could see, well, it was more what he couldn't see; the house was gone. But, just a few feet away from where Bobby's house had stood, he saw his brother, wearing a hard hat, with blueprints in his hands, walking through a partially framed new house. Dean saw Sam and waved him over, meeting him with two more hard hats and handed one to Sam and Amelia.

"Welcome to our new home, kids." Dean absolutely beamed. "Let me show you some of the details." And he started walking back toward the house. He turned back when he noticed Sam was just standing there, his mouth hanging open. Amelia looked shocked, or about to puke, he couldn't tell. "What?"

"Dean…what?...when?...how?" Sam muttered out.

"Very good, Sammy. You throw in why and where and you've covered all five." Dean mocked.

"Dean? When did you have time to do this? We've only been in town since yesterday." Sam asked.

"Well, technically, I didn't do anything, Jody did. I just made a few phone calls." And Sam knew his brother must have made a hundred phone calls; and then he remembered the three days he had _gone for a drive. _"Come on, let me show you some of the great features; it's going to be the greatest house ever built." And he proceeded to show them how there was an iron pentagram incorporated into the foundation, and a tunnel to the old panic room, and every window and door had salt compartments.

X

The house was amazing. Dean had found an architect who could design for the 'discriminating needs of hunters'. It also was going to be more wired than Bill Gates mansion, have a kitchen Emeril Lagasse would be proud of, and 'enough bedrooms for the passel of brats you and Amelia will crank out'.

"And, that brings me to our little problem." Dean stated as he wound up his tour. "Sam, you and I are either dead, and can't take possession of Bobby's estate; or we're on the 10 Most Wanted List, and can't go through probate without getting arrested."

"You know about probate?" Sam asked, too shocked to remember how smart his brother really was.

"Of course. Well, mostly Jody told me. Actually, Jody has a solution, too."

"I'm listening." Sam could tell his brother had not dropped his last bombshell of the morning.

"We let your wife inherit everything." Dean paused, letting that sink in. Both Sam and Amelia looked like they were going to puke, now. "Actually, it would be your widow, Amelia Winchester. See, Amelia Stone is still wanted for questioning in Spokane; not to mention all the news she made a few months ago. And, we were supposedly dead before that, so we can't forge wills leaving her everything."

"I don't remember telling you about that?" Sam asked, feeling like he might throw-up.

"You didn't Einstein, I can search the internet, too, ya know." Dean said as he led the increasingly green Amelia to sit down on a pile of lumber.

"May I say something here?" Amelia whispered, felling like she might be sick. When they both ignored her and kept arguing, she really missed her powers, not for the first time when dealing with these men. "GUYS. May I say something?"

They both turned to look at the small, but loud young woman. "Of course." They replied in unison.

"Sam's been trying to get me to marry him since the day after we got to Whitefish. If I don't want to get married, I sure as hell don't want to be a widow."

Dean turned to Sam. "You asked her to marry you, and you didn't tell me?" He asked, sounding very hurt.

"Well, yeah. She turned me down." Sam replied sounding both contrite for not including Dean and sad because of her rejections.

Now Dean turned to Amelia. "How could you turn him down? Look at that face; how could anybody resist that face?" Dean said as he grabbed his brother's face and turned it to Amelia.

"I can't resist that face. It's just marriage is an arcane and proprietary ritual, and I'm all full up on rituals right now." She said as she batted Dean's hand away from Sam's face.

"No problem, then." Dean said as he regained his smirking smile. "Because, it wouldn't be real or legal anyway. I mean, we'd have to forge the marriage license to pre date before the last time we were killed anyway. Once everything was transferred into your name, Amelia Winchester, you could start shacking up with these two handsome guys, who are totally unrelated to the Winchester brothers. Let's say Dean Smith, the older and better-looking one; and Sam McGilicutty, the taller but dumber one."

"Hey." Sam squawked just before Amelia puked on both of their shoes.


	71. Chapter 71

Nine months

_Mother Nature_ had given birth over 50 times in at least a dozen different vessels over the millennia. _ Amelia_ had seen no need for pre-natal exams, or any of the other 'clap trap of modern medicine'. But Sam, and Dean, and especially Jody had pestered her until she had found an obstetrician who worked with mid-wives and made an appointment.

As she grabbed Sam's hand when she felt another contraction starting, she thanked him profusely for making her be prepared for her first _human _birthing experience; and then cursed his very existence with her next breath. As the baby crowned, she wondered how the human race had continued past the first few times women had given birth.

X

After that morning, when Dean had sprung his surprise on Sam and Amelia, they had all been involved in a whirlwind of legal, and illegal, activities of planning and finalizing their plans for the future. The three of them had wanted to find a place to stay until the house was ready, not wanting to intrude on Jody for so long. But, Jody had been insistent Amelia would be better off with some stability. She hadn't said she'd been lonely in her big house since her husband had been killed by their zombie son; she hadn't needed to, Dean and Sam knew what she had been through.

Having Amelia in a safe place had actually allowed Dean and Sam to take care of a few hunts Garth had called them about. It had been while she was alone with Jody, that Amelia had finally been convinced about getting pre-natal care, and becoming Sam's widow, at least on paper. It had turned out the lawyer who had handled Bobby's will was familiar, and more importantly comfortable, working in the legally gray areas that hunters survived in. He had been helping Jody deal with Bobby's estate long before Dean had contacted her to start building a house on the property.

As summer had faded into fall, 'Amelia Winchester' had _legally_ inherited her late husband and brother-in-law's estate from Robert Singer. Sam had asked Amelia to at least fake marry him, when they had obtained the forged marriage license to give to the lawyer. They had arranged a simple but lovely 'ceremony' with the two of them, and Dean, that they held, amid the construction clutter, on the spot where they first met.

The house was progressing nicely. Nearly weekly, Sam had expressed his wonder and admiration for Dean's planning and design of the house. The house had two wings of living spaces; one for Sam, Amelia and their children (and they would have to 'go at it like bunnies' to have enough kids to meet his brother's expectations); and another, smaller set of rooms for Dean. Sam never commented on it, but he noticed his brother's wing had a couple extra rooms. It made him profoundly happy to think Dean hadn't given up on having a family of his own some day.

There were also the central, combined spaces; including the masterful kitchen, and all the other, usual things in a normal house, plus a library-research room, and in the basement the weapon room, gym and tunnel to the panic room. Every exterior wall and sub-floor had wards painted in them. And just as Dean had mentioned, every room was wired with hard, land lines for phone, internet and cable; all buried and nearly unbreachable and the whole house had excellent wi-fi reception.

Two months after arriving in Sioux Falls, Thanksgiving had been rapidly approaching, and Jody invited Missouri, Cassie, Charlie and Garth to join them. Amelia had volunteered to help with the preparations, but had been told, as politely as possible but in no uncertain terms, she was to stay away from the kitchen that week. If the woman had been a klutz before, with her baby bump she had almost become a menace to society. On the other hand, Jody had commented 'my yard and flowers have never looked better'.

As Jody's house started to fill up Thanksgiving morning, Garth pulled Dean outside. "I'm not going to ask, nobody ever will. But, no one has seen or heard from Walt, Roy or Tim for over a month. Anything we need to talk about there?"

"Nope." Dean replied very evenly. Garth had watched his eyes, and either Dean Winchester was the best liar he had ever met, and he'd met lots of really good liars, or he didn't have anything to do with the disappearance of the three hunters.

"Okay. Damn, that turkey smells good." And they went back into the house; and nobody asked about the three rogue hunters again, ever.

After the traditional 'what I am thankful for' exchange around the Thanksgiving table; the extended Winchester clan shared their latest news. Not that much of it was news; they had all stayed in close communication. Garth and Charlie had made a lot of progress developing an application, to access their supernatural lore database, on mobile devices. They also shared that Lee Chambers and Jenny Cooper had moved in together and were getting married in the spring.

Missouri told them it had taken weeks, but her neighbors had finally quit bugging her about those couple of days in July. Cassie said she was still interviewing contacts she had obtained during the party, and she was also working with Charlie and Garth.

Jody announced the FBI had officially closed the case on the building collapse in Spokane and stopped looking for the mysterious Amelia Stone. Seemed Amelia's mother had called and reported that the young woman everybody had seen wasn't her daughter. That whoever she was must have stolen her identity. Everybody turned to look at Amelia. She shrugged her shoulders as she said, "She was glad to help, long as we bring the baby out to meet her someday."

The widow Winchester and her 'distant cousins' Sam and Dean moved into the house right after New Years. It still had some finishing touches needed but they all thought they had imposed on Jody long enough; and they were anxious to be in their own home. Even Dean and Sam knew the landscaping would have to wait until spring; after all, it was winter in South Dakota.

Moving day wasn't quite as big a deal for them, as most people; a few duffel bags, backpacks and a couple of boxes. But Amelia started hitting the second-hand stores and garage sales; and within a couple weeks, she had the house nicely furnished. She may have been disaster in the kitchen, but woman had an eye for home décor. She and Dean worked together until the house was comfortably and practically finished. Sam concentrated on getting all Bobby's books brought out of storage and cataloged and arranged in the library.

Late in the afternoon of April Fools' Day, Amelia had just tried to smack Dean upside his head for the seventh time, for making 'duck noises', as she walked by. She had informed him ex-goddesses _did not waddle _even when 9 months pregnant. But, between Dean expecting her swat and ducking and her balance being severely off because she was carrying 'Sam's enormous baby' around; Amelia lost her balance and fell to the floor, hard.

"Sam!" Dean yelled for his brother, as he gently rolled his unresponsive sister-in-law over and saw the already forming lump on her forehead. "Amelia? Come on Amelia, wake up." He called to her as he waited for Sam.

Dean had given up on Cas months ago. He had prayed/called/screamed/begged for him for weeks. He had wanted to let him know he was forgiven, that he was family, and that it was time he came home. He didn't really expect him to listen now, but he was needed; he loved this woman almost as much as his brother did, and she was hurt.

But, just as he closed his eyes to start calling for Cas, there was a flutter on the other side of Amelia and he looked up to see Cas. Sam reached them just as Cas was laying a hand on Amelia's forehead. Sam was on the floor next to Dean by the time Cas pulled his hand back, and a second later Amelia opened her eyes.

"Castiel, nice to see you again." She said as the angel took a step away from the threesome. She turned to Dean and smacked his upside his head. "No more duck noises!" Then she turned her head to look at all three of them. "So, are you just going to leave the pregnant woman lying on the floor?"

Dean had wanted to take her to the ER, to make sure everything was okay. But, Amelia and Sam finally convinced him that both an ex-goddess, who was still amazingly in touch with every aspect of her bodily function, and an Angel of the Lord, said she was fine.

Sam knew this would be one more guilt trip his brother would try to carry around for years. But, it seemed Amelia had found a method of breaking Dean's occasional bout of self-doubt and guilt, that he had never been able to master. It was based on the old parental adage, 'I'll give you something to cry about'. She'd quickly find something else really stupid to accuse him of; and he'd get so defensive over the perceived slight, he'd forget his guilt over whatever he was beating himself up over.

"Holy Crap. Dean Winchester, you've hurt my hand with that hard head of yours!" She said shaking her hand after they had helped her up off the floor.

Dean looked stunned for a split second, but then a smile crept onto his face. He reached out and took her hand, and kissed it. "Okay, is that all better goddess?" When she nodded her head, they stared at each other for a second and then he 'quacked' once.

Sam smiled; just like that everything was back to normal. "Wait! Where'd Cas go?"

"Sonofabitch!" Dean and Amelia swore in unison.

X

A week later, Sam's hand was being crushed by Amelia as the mid-wife was telling her to push. Dean had been hovering outside the door of Sam and Amelia's room since she had gone into the final stage of her labor; other than the occasional trip to get her ice chips or some other errand Jody found to keep him busy. Amelia had told him he could be in the room; that he was part of the family she and Sam were creating.

He had declined, not sure if it was seeing that much of Sam's wife, and by now that's what everybody, including Amelia, considered her; or if it was 'the whole gooey mess' thing and the yelling that he wanted to avoid.

They hadn't _seen_ Cas since the day he had healed Amelia, but fresh flowers and pastries, something Amelia had developed had a craving for a couple months ago, would be in the kitchen every morning when they got up. Dean had joked 'I wish he'd throw in sausage and hash browns' the third day, and the next morning the kitchen table was loaded with every breakfast food Dean and Sam had ever heard of.

Dean cringed when he heard Amelia scream. He knew it was normal, or at least that's what they kept telling him. He thought she was nuts for wanting a 'natural' home birth, when they had such lovely drugs at the hospital.

"What….Who are you?" Dean heard the mid-wife shout from inside the room. He was through the door, reaching for his waistband, when he remembered he never carried his gun in the house. He saw Castiel disappear just as he burst into the room.

Amelia looked up at Dean as he stood by the door, and winked at him. "Hey Dean. You're a couple minutes early. And, tell Cas thanks for me."

The mid-wife looked at Amelia, then around the room. "Okay. I don't know who that was, or what just happened; but somebody is going to tell me in about 10 minutes; or I'm shoving this kid back up inside her." She turned to the woman who had been having a moderately difficult labor, and who now looked and acted like she was drunk. "Okay, Amelia; final push!"

Despite his plan to not watch Amelia give birth, Dean found he couldn't look away. From where he was standing he could see the baby's head coming out of Amelia. She took a deep breath and pushed, and he saw his niece slide out into the nurse's hands, and heard the newest Winchester let out her first wail.

There was a flurry of activity; putting the baby on Amelia's stomach, Sam cutting the cord, checking the baby and wiping her clean. Dean just stood in amazement and watched Sam, Jody and Nancy, the mid-wife, tend to the immediate needs of the baby and mother. He watched his brother hold his new born daughter for the first time; and was suddenly very thankful for Cas' lack of boundaries and timing. If his bashful friend hadn't startled the nurse into shouting, he would never have come into the room, and he would have missed all this.

A few minutes later, Sam waved him over to the bedside. "Dean. Come meet your niece." He didn't pause or hesitate; he walked over and sealed his membership in this new family. Sure, he may have held a baby before, when he'd been with Lisa; but this tiny little girl was family, blood.

Sam handed him the small bundle and he cradled her next to him. She managed to get an arm out of her swaddling blanket and grabbed his finger.

"Boy, she's an active one." The mid-wife said. "I'm pretty good at wrapping them up. I've never seen one so new get an arm out like that before."

"That's 'cause you've never seen a Winchester before." Dean said, trying, and failing to hold back tears.

Sam looked down at Amelia, and she nodded her head. "You're close. That's because she's never tried to hold Dean Winchester's niece still before. Dude, say hello to Deanna Roberta Winchester."


	72. Chapter 72

Author's Note: Last chapter, folks! It's pretty long and completely AU. I'd like to thank everybody for reading and reviewing one last time; this has been a fascinating, and occasionally frustrating, experience.

Nine years

"Bobbie! Get your greasy little butt in here." Sam called from the back door to his oldest child, who was once again helping Dean in the garage. Neither he nor Amelia were bothered that their 8 year old daughter was a full-fledged tomboy, basically a small version of her beloved 'Unc'l'. Well, other than they didn't let her swear like Dean did. But then, Dean had adapted his language, after she dropped the F-bomb; because his niece followed him around almost everywhere when he was at home.

"We need about 10 more minutes to finish this oil change." Dean yelled back to his brother. "15, tops."

Sam shook his head, knowing it would be closer to 30 minutes before they came in, both probably covered in grease. That was why he had called for her an hour before they needed to come in, to take showers and get dressed. It was the 4th of July; and they were hosting their annual barbeque, and their guests would begin arriving in about an hour.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

He looked out over the back portion of 'the Winchester Compound', the term they and almost everybody else used to describe the huge house and sprawling collection of out-buildings that had once been Singer Salvage. There were the two garages that Dean used to build and repair vehicles specialized to the needs of hunters. There was the smaller cottage that Amelia ran her Day Care business out of. His wife had never learned how to cook, at least not without bodily injury; but the woman had a way with kids.

Most of the parents who brought their children to her gushed about 'what a natural way she had with kids' and cited how happy, well-adjusted and well-behaved her four kids were. They had been a little concerned that she let her oldest get a tattoo, and an odd sunburst pentagram, at that, when she was only six years old; but compared to the magic she performed on their kids, they ignored that quirk. The hunters who occasionally needed to leave their kids for a few days while on a job; well, they guessed it was probably had more to do with a several thousand years of practice at it.

They also didn't broadcast that all their older kids had the same tattoos. What 'the civilian' parents didn't know, the tattoos were done when the kids were old enough to understand, and that they replaced the microchip sized anti-possession charm they had had their kids surgically implanted with shortly after they were born.

The playground between the main house and the daycare was nicer than anything in the city parks, and four years ago they had put in a pool. South Dakota didn't have really long summers, but it was plenty warm enough to be used over half the year. Sam had thought it would mostly be for the kids, but Dean spent almost as much time in it as his nieces and nephews.

Amelia's many gardens had also won the annual Sioux Falls home gardening competition for the last two years. Sam thought she had an unfair advantage; but, since she donated over half of the vegetables she grew each summer and some of the fruit from her small orchard to the local food bank, he figured she earned it.

-x-

Sam went back in the house and found Jody had arrived while he had been thinking about all the changes to their place. Of course, the changes to 'the old Singer place' paled in comparison to how much hunting and life in general had changed since 'the Incident'. "Their place', nearly 10 years later and those words still sounded kind of foreign to him. Jody coming early to help out, that had never changed. Since she had retired as sheriff and was working with Garth's Hunter's Alliance, her time was even more flexible.

And, after the twins, Jody and John, were born; she found herself spending most of her free time with her adopted family. They had even offered to build her a suite attached to the house, since 'you pretty much live here anyway'. But, she'd bought the house down the road instead. She loved those kids to death, but the Winchester house was loud, filled with rambunctious kids, and adults.

There were now four adults living in the main house. Dean had started dating Nancy Greer, the mid-wife that had delivered his first niece, shortly after the birth. And by the time the twins came along, they were talking marriage. In true Winchester fashion, their wedding reception, a small, personal affair of just family and friends, so only about a hundred or so people, held in Amelia's rose garden; was interrupted by the birth of Adam, Sam and Amelia's fourth child.

Their _relationship_ had started when she'd insisted on knowing who, or what, and how, the odd-looking man had suddenly appeared and just as suddenly disappeared, during Amelia's delivery. She had taken it amazingly well, when they told her. Turned out, she'd had a brush with the 'unusual' when she was young; and had kept an open mind ever since.

Dean had been impressed with her since the minute she had threatened to shove the baby back into Amelia if she didn't get some answers, while she kept doing her job calmly and professionally. Sam had asked him if those qualities 'sounded like anybody he knew'; and he'd had to smack Dean on the head, and add 'you, you idiot'. Nancy and Dean had soon become inseparable, and she'd even gone on a hunt with them a couple of times. While Dean liked sharing everything with her; he worried about her so much, he felt he was putting them all at risk.

But, it was during their second hunt, that they had found her true role in the hunting world. She may have delivered babies as a mid-wife, but she was still a nurse. After Garth had been injured during the hunt, and 'Nancy Nurse', as Dean still loved to tease her with, had patched him up quickly and more professionally than most hunters were used to; it came to them. The next week, they started construction on another out-building. By the time of Deanna Roberta's, already known as Bobbie, first birthday; they had built the first small Hunter's clinic. They'd contacted Dr. Robert, the back-room MD that had helped Dean a few years ago, and he agreed to be her resource, if she needed one.

She was putting hunters back together, as well as helping them manage the health issues related to the life-style; mainly high blood pressure and liver disease from too much alcohol, before the paint had finished drying on the warded walls and salted windows. She had also kept helping to deliver the occasional baby. She had moved in with Dean the same week the clinic opened.

-x-

Sam walked into the kitchen where Jody was talking to Amelia, who was now allowed in the kitchen as long as she stayed away from sharp objects, their three younger kids, Nancy, who was expecting her and Dean's first kid any day, Charlie and Jenny, their cook-house manager.

-x-

They had found Jenny Klein mostly by accident. After she had fled from Maggie Stark's hex, she had given up being anyone's personal assistant. She had worked in a series of bakeries, until she had found herself in Kansas City. Dean had stopped to pick up some cupcakes from the place, on his way home from a visit to Missouri. The psychic had said he had to get some for Amelia, then expecting the twins. And there was Jenny. She recognized Dean and they talked for a while; telling him about how she just couldn't find a job or place that she liked and/or felt safe.

By the time Dean had gotten back to Sioux Falls, he had another brilliant idea to spring on Sam and Amelia. They talked it over, and a month later Jenny had moved in with them to be their cook and run the household. By the time the twins were born, they were all eating healthy meals and the house ran smoothly. Her life with the Winchesters fit her like a glove, not to mention she felt safer than she ever had before. It wasn't just having Sam and Dean to protect her; they made her learn some self-defense, both physical and supernatural. And she found a new confidence in herself.

When the _new_ Jenny had met Charlie; that new confidence gave her the courage to ask out the pretty redhead. So, by the time Jody bought the house down the road, the Winchesters had helped Jenny and Charlie buy the lot next to theirs, just off the front road, and build their home. Technically, it wasn't part of _the Compound,_ but it might as well have been; they were honorary Winchesters. In the spring of 2018, South Dakota still didn't allow or recognize gay marriage, but being legal had never stopped the Winchesters before. They threw their friends a spectacular 'ceremony' and reception in the same garden where Dean and Nancy had been married the year before.

Years later, Missouri had confided, she had known Dean would find something better than just great cupcakes at that bakery. Sam still wondered if their friend had known about Jenny and Charlie finding each other; he'd always assumed nothing got past the old girl. "Crap!" He muttered to himself. She was on her way here for the barbeque and knowing her, she had probably heard 'the old girl' thought. He'd pay for that sometime today.

They'd been trying for years to get her to move to Sioux Falls, to be closer, since she was an important part of the clan. There was still plenty of land in or near their place. But, she refused to leave Lawrence. She would hitch a ride whenever Cassie had come up from Cape Girardeau, or Garth, or any other of their many friends were headed to South Dakota. That had been another addition to the compound, a couple of guest houses on the lot next to Jenny and Charlie's.

They didn't get to see Cassie nearly as often as they used to, or as much as they'd like, since her book had been published. She was on the road a lot. And after she testified to congress after 'the Incident', she rarely had time to visit. Amelia also thought it was hard for her, after Dean found Nancy; seeing them together was a constant reminder of what she let get away.

The Front Road, as they called that part of the place, was where they had built his office. He was finally putting his college education to use; it turned out he had a gift for real-estate, the stock market and making money, legally! Not only had he built the money Bobby had left them into a small fortune, he was helping make other hunters financially secure. He helped them grow and save enough money that they could send their kids to college, and get health insurance; and if they lived long enough, retire comfortably.

Actually, it had turned out because of all of their businesses, "D.W. Custom Autoworks", "Amelia's Daycare" and "S.W. Investments" they had never had to hustle a another game of pool or poker, or scam a credit card company again. Not to say he and Dean didn't go into town for a friendly game every once in a while. All four of the Winchesters helped the Hunting community in one way or another; and had added to the formation of the Alliance. But, even now on rare occasions, Dean, and Sam, still got the itch to "Save People, and Hunt Things".

When Missouri had come up for Bobbie's fifth birthday, she'd told Sam and Amelia that she could sense Deanna Roberta was very special; and not special like all beloved children. They had already figured out their daughter was going to be 'special', in the supernatural way. She frequently, but not always, knew when some people were coming or certain things were going to happen. And, she could revive a sickly houseplant or lethargic goldfish just by talking them. Her parents had assumed it was because she had been conceived while Amelia was still Mother Nature; that somehow she had picked up a little of that juice in those first few days.

Missouri was one of the people she could _always_ sense when she got near. So was Cas. It had taken a year to get him to stick around for more than a few minutes at a time. One morning they had found him in Bobbie's room, just standing at her crib. Apparently he had been reaching in to touch her and she had grabbed his fingers, and wouldn't let go.

Sam and Dean both knew he could have left, that the baby's grip wasn't what had kept him standing there until Sam had gotten up to check on her. Or, maybe it was. Maybe her absolute trust of him, and her Winchester stubbornness, her refusal to let him leave; was what it took for him to decide it was time to come back where he belonged, with his _real _family.

That morning, he'd finally talked to Dean and Sam; and they'd convinced him he'd done his penance. As Dean had put it, "We're good, man". Castiel, of course, didn't _live _in or near the compound like the other members of their ever growing clan. But he spent more and more time with the people who taught him what being part of a family really meant. And, his existence became the most poorly kept secret in the hunting community.

Part of the reason that most Hunters knew about Cas was because Sioux Falls had become the center of the Hunter's Alliance. By the time Garth and Charlie had relocated their efforts there, and leased a small business complex to house everything, they had expanded from building databases and mobile apps, to manufacturing hunting tools and equipment. The growth and support for the Alliance had been tied to the reaction to Cassie's book; and by the time of 'the Incident', as it was universally called, they were poised and ready to step in and help change society.

Angels had not been part of 'the Incident' and they weren't known to 'civilians'; Hunters could still keep secrets. Garth had actually called Dean to see if the angel was interested in working with other hunters. To both Winchesters' surprise, he had actually agreed to help; especially if demons were involved. It had been after the second time Cas had helped take down a demon plot, that they had had a very surprising visitor. Death had walked into Sam's office the next day and told him to 'get his brother and that troublesome angel'.

Sam had looked up to see Cas and Dean standing there. Cas had already sensed the Horseman's presence and grabbed Dean and brought him to the office. "Holy Crap, Cas. What the he…" He said before looking around and seeing why he had been snatched so abruptly.

"Get the girl, too." Death instructed the angel.

'You leave her out of this!" Sam said, hoping he sounded braver than he felt.

"Don't worry. I'm only here to talk." He replied with an amused air. He would still never say it out loud, but he really did like these boys. Amelia and Cas were standing behind him by the time he had finished talking. He waved his hand at the chairs. "Okay. Sit down." And he held up a warning finger when Amelia made to hug him. "We didn't hug before, we're sure not doing now that you're human.

Okay, listen up; this will be the only warning you get." He turned to look at Amelia. "You do remember that little problem I helped you with a couple years ago?" He held up his hand when she opened her mouth to answer. "It was a rhetorical question. I held onto Crowley for a year. I know I said only until you got those two back." And he nodded his head at Dean and Cas. "But, he was so annoying, I kept him trapped for a year; and then even I couldn't take him anymore.

I set him free to let him find a new body." And, again, he gave them a look that kept them from saying anything. "He was quite upset to find out he had been replaced as King of Hell. Anyway, I gave him very clear instructions to stay away from any and all persons of the Winchester clan. I think that's what you're calling this rag tag group of people you've collected. And, even as he's fighting his way back into power, he hasn't laid a hand on any of your friends." And he paused to look at Cas. "But, loaning out your pet angel to use against his demons…. Well, let's just say he feels that's not fair."

"We had no idea.." Amelia started to say, but stopped at his stare.

"Of course not, you moron, you gave up your powers."

"Hey! I don't care who you are; you don't talk to her that way." Sam said, again trying to jump up.

As the Horseman stared at him, Sam sank back into his chair. "Huh. She still has you besotted I see, even without her powers?" And he turned back to all of them. "Angel, you're done hiring yourself out. It happens again, and I release Crowley from his restrictions. Are we clear?" He didn't wait for an answer, people rarely said no to him, and it hadn't been a negotiation.

That had been seven years ago, and as far as Sam knew; none of the people they considered part of their extended family had been bothered by Crowley or his factions. Garth's intelligence had learned he had regained control over Hell, about a year later. So, the only demon troubles had been 'the limey bastard's' rival factions. But, since no demon wanted to piss off the Horseman; the Winchester's had been off limits to pretty much all demons.

Other hunters had the occasional demon run in; and there were still plenty of other fuglies out there. There were fewer and fewer of those that had origins in Purgatory, with all the seals repaired. But, not all the nasty things Hunters fought came from those places, there was still the planet grown monsters. Of course, Hunters no longer had to hide or work in the shadows. It had been about two years since the Hunter's Alliance had been officially recognized by the Federal Government; after Cassie's book and 'the Incident' had permanently drawn back the curtain on all things supernatural.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Dean and Bobbie had come in 31 minutes after he had called them. They had the barbeques fired up and their matching aprons on by the time the first guest, because Jody was family, not a guest, arrived. Sam was on the back porch again as he watched his brother supervise the grilling of hundreds of burgers, hot dogs and cut-up chickens; just as Amelia had foreseen; when he felt Amelia's arms slip around his waist. "You better go relieve Dean."

"Are you kidding? He's in hog heaven out there."

"I know. But, Nancy's water just broke; and I think he might want to get upstairs to see his son arrive." She said as she pulled her arms away and headed back to the house.

"Well. He's got the timing of a Winchester." Sam said to himself, as headed out to tell his brother he was about to be a dad.

As Dean ran into the house, Sam enlisted a few of their friends to take over the grilling. As word spread of the impending birth, the party became even more festive. As dusk approached, everybody agreed the fireworks would wait for the newest Winchester's arrival. Sam sat with his kids and they excitedly speculated what their new cousin would look like and what Uncle Dean and Aunt Nancy would call him.

The outdoor lights had just come on when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Sam smiled, full dimples, something he did a lot lately, at his kids and they all ran into the house. They reached Nancy and Dean's bedroom door just as Dean stepped out carrying a small bundle in his arms.

"Hey, kids. Hey, Sammy." And he turned and bent down slightly so his brother and his brother's kids could see his son's face. "Meet Samuel John Winchester."

Dean turned his head up to look at his brother, and just as he had expected, because he had cried at each of his nieces and nephews births, he saw his little brother had tears sliding down his face. "Hey. No chick-flick moments. Bitch!"

Or at least that's what Sam thought his brother said. The word of the baby's arrival must have reached the crowd outside; and someone had started the fireworks. But then, since when did Sam and Dean Winchester actually need to say or hear anything to know what was in the others heart!

_-xxXXxx-_

Nine years-Footnotes

'The Incident' had caught _mainstream_ America by surprise. But, there were thousands upon thousands that had known it was only a matter of time. Cassie Robinson had been one of those people, and was one of the major reason 'believing in the Supernatural' hadn't shattered society to its core.

The newspaper reporter spent three years collecting data and editing her book. It was the ultimate source on supernatural beings, the Hunters that had been protecting humankind for centuries and the people who had come into contact these things/beings/monsters. It took her another year to find someone to publish it. Cassie didn't like the publisher's plan to release it as fiction, 'like the Carver Edlund books'. But, Cassie knew the _Supernatural_ books were based on the actual experiences of Dean and Sam; hell, she was featured in an early volume.

She agreed to the publisher's plan, she thought it was more important to get the information out there; and they were the only publisher that even returned her calls. When the first small printing was first released in 2016, it sold much better than the publisher had expected. What the publisher didn't know, all the people saved by Hunters over the years and the readers of Chuck's books would want to learn more.

By the second printing, the mainstream media was taking notice of the popularity of the book. They attributed the success to all the craziness of the last five years. In interviews the young woman made outrageous claims and seemed to truly believe everything she had written. Soon, they heard some nut-bags had formed a Hunter's Alliance; truly believing the Robinson woman's ranting.

Garth and Charlie had been creating the Hunter's Alliance (originally called the Hunter's Society, but Charlie had objected that it came across as too 'old boy club'); at the same time Cassie had been writing and publishing her book. They, as well as most of the people who called themselves hunters, declined almost all requests for interviews. Going public still tended to make them a focus of derision and/or brought too much attention from the authorities.

_The Incident_ as it was universally called everyone associated with hunting, occurred in the summer of 2018. At a rally for the current front runner for the next Presidential election, a group of "hunters" attacked the charismatic politician. Every smart phone and camera in the crowd caught what happened. It appeared they had thrown acid on the man, smoke or steam could be seen rising from where the liquid made contact with his skin; and his entire entourage fell to the ground after being shot. But, before security could reach the stage, courtesy of additional "hunters";a loud recording of words no one could understand, started being played over the loud speaker. The crowd gasped as the politician and his aides rose up, seemingly writhing in pain. As the last word was broadcast, black smoke poured out of the mouths of the politician and his aides.

The "hunters' immediately surrendered. They were searched, there was no sign of any acid, only water, and their guns had only rock salt in the shells. As the politician and his staff came to, again, they intervened and supported everything the 'terrorists' had claimed.

It took weeks of investigations, and law enforcement agencies tried to cover-up the truth; but the internet had already been flooded with videos of the attacks; and whatever the the black smoke had been. The Hunter's Alliance finally agreed to interviews. They claimed to be behind the mass exorcisms; that their research had detected the plan to get the demon-possessed politician elected President. Cassie Robison's book was finally seen for what it was; and she was called to testify before congress that winter.

In the fall for 2019, The Hunter's Alliance was recognized by Congress _as the first line of defense against supernatural evil by a grateful Nation._

The Winchesters did not take an active role in 'the Incident' that day; but they had been the major financial backers of the Alliance for years. And, S.W. Investments paid the extensive legal costs for every member of the Alliance arrested that day.

Every one of the Hunters involved in the raid that day had tattoos identical to the ones Sam and Dean had gotten almost 15 years ago. Many of them also had the unofficial slogan of the Alliance, inked on their bodies somewhere; "Saving People, Hunting Things".

The End


End file.
